All Out Assassin Attack
by Colormyworld
Summary: Post-anime or first manga series. As more assassins appear, Loki's family situation becomes even more chaotic...Mayuloki. Includes Narfi, Sif, Sigyn & more! Updated October '09 but you may want to reread previous chapters before you read the update.
1. The Golden Haired Goddess and the Otaku

_Yay, another story from mee to yoouu! And I finally...finally have a MaLoki story. Um, well this should get more interesting later. Many characters based on Norse mythology. Takes place after first manga series/anime. Loki has all his powers back in this version, and everyone is still on Midgard. No Spica. Sorry about the OCs...can't help it . Please enjoy!_

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 1:

The Golden Haired Goddess and the Otaku

Ever so casually, the tall man stepped towards the woman, man, and large creature bowing before him. His long white robes fell behind him, his red eyes glimmering with an emotion that could not be placed. The woman smiled happily. "My lord, you have called me here?"

"Yes," The tall man said, walking back up the stairs and taking a seat upon the throne there. "I have. I have an assignment for you three."

"Which would be?" Asked the man before him, still on the ground, bowing to the greater god.

"I would like…the problem eliminated. Can I trust you three to do that?"

"None of us feel loyalty to him, you know that." The man bowing responded. "That is not a problem at all."

"Good."

Someone, listening through the outside wall, paled. "No." He whispered, looking around before frowning. "I have to reach her, before they get anyw-"

A beautiful woman interrupted him. "I am coming as well." She said with a kind smile and the man nodded.

X

"Lokiiii…" The cheerful voice of the self-proclaimed beautiful detective rang through the mansion.

Mayura wandered around, looking around the house. "I thought I'd stop by before school today, because I'm really early."

Yamino came out of the kitchen and smiled. "Mayura." He said happily. "How are you this morning?"

"Great, thanks. I just wanted to say hello before school. Where's Loki?" She asked.

"Master Loki is out walking Fenrir. I'll tell him you stopped by, but you really shouldn't stay here long. You're not that early, school starts in two min-"

"Oh no! I'll be late!" Mayura shrieked, and ran faster than she ever had before out of the house.

X

Narugami tried very hard not to laugh as Mayura stumbled in, her hair frizzy and a leaf stuck to it. "In a rush this morning, Daidouji?"

"Well I stopped at Loki's house." She said, sitting at a desk.

"I see." Narugami said, while wondering if anything odd was going on like it usually was with his uncle.

The teacher came in and adjusted his glasses. "Ahem, class. We have a new student today. May I introduce Noriko Yoshida."

A tall teenager walked in, wearing the uniform all students were required to wear. She had hazel eyes, and golden hair that was tied into a ponytail that reached her lower back. She was beautiful, and Narugami froze.

Mayura smiled. 'Aw, so cute! Narugami has a crush!' She thought cheerfully. 'I wonder how her hair is so golden? Mystery!'

"Wait! I'm new here, tooo!" Came a shout from the hallway and, panting, a tall teenage boy came into the room.

He had messy black hair, ice blue eyes and pale skin. He was handsome, however, and oddly familiar…

"Sorry," He bowed. "I'm the other transfer student. Na-"

"Ken." Interrupted Noriko with a smile.

"Naken?" Asked the teacher.

"No, Ken." Noriko said cheerfully. "His last name begins with Na." She said. "We met in the office." She said, upon receiving a confused look from the teacher.

"Ah, I understand."

Mayura noticed Narugami still staring and waved a hand in front of his face. "Narugami?"

The boy snapped out of his trance as the teacher asked the new students to take seats, with Noriko beside Mayura and Ken in front of Narugami.

"Noriko," Narugami started. "Are you by any chan-"

"And who are you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Narugami, but…" He sighed. "Nevermind."

Mayura smiled. "Hi you two, I'm Mayura Daidouji! It's a pleasure to meet you! Would you like to join the mystery club?"

Narugami sweat-dropped. She sure got to the point, didn't she?

"I'm not a big fan of mysteries." Noriko said honestly. "But I'd love to come along to the mysteries and hang out anyway...I could use a friend in this area, too…"

"Mysteries? I love them!" Ken said, turning to face her. "My mother used to as well, before she…" He paused.

Noriko continued to speak, as if giving Ken a break from the awkward topic he had just gotten into. "So we'll both join…"

Mayura was already into a new mystery-which had been filed (in her mind, of course) as "Ken Na-something's Mother…Mysterious!"

The teacher interrupted by announcing the day's topic.

"Now, continuing on with our discussion of Norse mythology…"

Narugami almost died laughing. "Easiest discussion ever." He said cheerfully to himself. After all, he'd experienced it all.

Was that a good thing or a bad thing, though? He began to daydream about what it'd be like if he really was mortal. Well, there'd be no Sif for one thing…

"Mr. Narugami, are you paying attention?"

"Of course." Narugami said, sitting up quickly.

"Good, than you can answer this. Who was the most beautiful goddess?"

"Depends on your opinion." Narugami said in annoyance.

"Hm, I suppose. Freya is the name I wanted. Who is the god of thunder?"

"Thor." Came a response, and Narugami, surprised, turned to look at Noriko. She hadn't been paying attention either, she was in fact doodling. "And he had a wife, children…a mighty god and one people adored."

"Good. Narugami, perhaps the new student should give you lessons on Norse mythology."

Noriko smiled. "I'm an expert." She said cheerfully, golden hair falling over one shoulder.

X

Later that day, Mayura was walking with Ken and Noriko, showing them around town. They had stopped multiple times as the newcomers looked astounded at ordinary events. Narugami had been off to what else but a part-time job.

Next on the Daidouji Tour of Japan (or at least a few blocks of it) was…

"LOKIII!" The small detective heard the scream from the basement, where he was searching through old trunks. Fenrir, upstairs, began barking.

"Mystery girl, Daddy!"

"Ahhh…. brother!" Loki heard his younger son running quickly to the door.

"Hellooo Yamino!"

"Mayura…hold on. Master Loki!"

Loki walked upstairs, looking annoyed and a bit dusty.

"Hi Loki! I met some new friends today and I wanted them to meet you!" Mayura said happily, smiling wide.

"We're friends already?" Noriko asked, blinking.

Ken sweat-dropped.

"Oh, really?" Loki asked, not looking all that interested.

Yamino smiled. "Hello. Mayura, will you please introduce us?"

"Sure!" Mayura said. "This is Ken and Noriko…Noriko, Ken, meet Yamino and Loki." Fenrir barked in annoyance. "Oh, and this is Fenrir."

Noriko smiled. "Nice to meet you." She said cheerfully, and Loki looked up at her. She seemed oddly familiar…

Ken bent down to pet Fenrir, who seemed happier now. "This is a nice house." He commented. "What is your relation to Yamino, Loki? I'm sorry if it's rude to ask, but it'll bother me unless I know."

"Distant cousins!" Mayura said cheerfully, answering for him.

Loki and Yamino exchanged glances, before Loki turned to Mayura with his usual smirk. "Right."

Fenrir looked at Ken significantly and then at Loki, before he contently wandered off.

Ecchan watched him leave and looked at the two newcomers. "Punyah…Master Loki, what's wrong with Fenrir?"

"I haven't a clue." Loki responded, leaving Mayura confused again.

"Uh…who is he talking to?" Ken whispered to Mayura.

"I don't know. Maybe a ghost…or alien! Mystery!"

"Right."

Noriko twisted a strand of gold hair thoughtfully as she looked around the foyer. "Perhaps…Mayura should show Ken around? I'd like to ask you something in private." She said quietly.

Ken didn't hear her at all, but Mayura somehow picked up the part involving her. "Great idea! I'll give you both a tour. C'mon!"

"No thanks. I'd like to talk to Loki." Noriko said with a kind smile.

"Alright. Meet up with us! Let's go Ken!" Mayura dragged him off into the mysterious beyond of the upstairs.

When they were out of earshot, Noriko giggled. "You look terrific." She said with a slightly evil smile.

"I didn't expect to see you on Midgard." Loki said casually.

"So the girl hasn't a clue?"

"Nope. Now what did you want to know?" He asked, getting to the point as Yamino decided it was a good time to leave, which made Loki and Noriko alone…together.

"I can't find my beloved!" Whined Noriko uncharacteristically. "I searched the entire globe!"

"Sif, did you ever think that maybe he looks and acts differently on Midgard than on Asgard? That maybe he's…I don't know…a high school student who does about a hundred part-time jobs a week?"

The goddess froze. "No…my dear husband, god of thunder, the mighty Thor? I would expect him to be just as tough on Midgard as he is at home…perhaps even gain a kingdom or three. Thor is not a mortal, and he would not even _consider_ appearing to be one for one second…Thor is not a weak man, and he would never, EVER choose to do something as meaningless as…part-time jobs." She ranted angrily, and Loki had a bit of a difficult time understanding her.

The door then chose to swing open and hit Noriko quite hard, knocking her into a wall as a certain sneezing god entered.

"Damn, Loki, I saw the weirdest thing today…" Narugami began, closing the door and looking down to see Noriko with a huge bump on her head and a disoriented look on her face.

"What's she doing here?! I came to tell you I saw this girl today and I was wondering if she reminded you of Sif as well…?"

"She IS Sif." The god of fire said in annoyance, while wondering how stupid two married gods could possibly be.

"What? Sif?"

Noriko immediately woke up. "Huh? Weirdo from school? Uh…did you call me Sif?"

"It's me, Thor!"

"Oh….damn. Sorry, but you're so…normal looking on Midgard." Sif said, looking deep in thought.

Thor fell over at his wife's response.

"Hey is that Ken guy one of us?" Thor asked, over the shock now.

Loki shook his head. "The guy can't see Ecchan and he's about as intelligent as Mayura…I can tell even without reading his aura."

"Oh….Loki, do you have your powers back?" Sif asked, her 'meaningful' reunion with Thor over.

"Yes." He sighed. "I do…but I remain a child for two reasons: first of all, Mayura doesn't know. Secondly, I don't want to make Heimdall cry because I'm so much taller."

Both gods sweat-dropped at him.

end the first


	2. Humanity is So Overrated

_Eeek! ((hides from reviewers)) I'm sorrryyy! I'm a bad author ;-; Um...but this is an update, right? I'm not currently writing this story, just uploading old, pre-written chapters, so I can't make them really long or I'll run out ((sweatdrop))...um...sorry about OOC-ness and total crazinessness and enjoyyy!!_

Previously:

With the introduction of Noriko and Ken, things start getting more exciting! Especially since Noriko is actually Sif, wife of Thor (Narugami)! Ken may just be the only human on earth who enjoys mysteries as much as Mayura does, and Loki has his powers--although he remains in child form for Mayura's sake. Meanwhile, a new group of assassins is heading for Loki...

**_All Out Assassin Attack: Chapter 2_**

Fenrir, in the kitchen, was enjoying himself. He'd found a mail-delivery cake on the table without any markings on the package and had decided to eat it.

So after eating the unnaturally delicious cake, he sat on the table and stared at the box, wondering how it had been made and what the ingredients were. If his brother could make it then…

His eyes turned to hearts, reflecting his love for the precious sweet.

He heard his father talking to Sif and Thor, before he heard him say "Alright, you two should really go. Who knows what Mayura is up to."

The door then opened and closed and his father's footsteps retreated into his office.

Fenrir looked at the cake box sadly, before noticing something.

That had _not_ been there before.

A letter, folded quite neatly, sat in the box. Fenrir stared as it unfolded itself and read it.

_I know you received this cake and probably ate it along with your dearest children. Hope you enjoyed it, as it is not a normal cake-in fact, I have magically altered it for your specific need-the need to be punished. _

_Six_

"Six? Punished?" Fenrir asked out loud, before feeling a sharp pain in his stomach. He rolled off the table and fell onto the ground, blacking out.

X0oX0o

A few hours later, Yamino finally managed to kick Mayura out of the house, along with Ken.

Mayura had headed home, as had Ken-or so Yamino thought.

Instead, the boy hid in the bushes outside the mansion and watched thoughtfully. "Damn mystery tour." He muttered.

Meanwhile, quite a few things were happening elsewhere...

A mysterious blonde man grinned, stirring a green liquid in a cauldron.

A certain woman, on a boat, smiled. Her plan was ready.

The white-haired man casually polished a knife, thousands of others gleaming on the wall behind him.

Verdandi watched Skuld without amusement as her sister told her of the future. She was having a bit of a time believing _that…_

Urd grumbled to herself as she picked up a bag of cheese. "I have an idea! Let's make Urd shop! Yeah, Skuld!" She imitated her sisters fairly well.

The blue-haired woman groaned. "Damn school registration forms…what I do for my kids."

Misao watched Mayura do homework, before sighing heavily…those mysteries were definitely out to get him…

Lastly, Yamino walked into the kitchen and his jaw dropped.

"M-master Loki…" He whispered hoarsely, before running upstairs. "FATHER!"

X0oX0o

Loki came back down with Yamino. The god of fire was in his original form, as Mayura was clearly gone for the night.

What he saw made his jaw drop a bit, before he closed it. He would not be caught in shock!

Unconscious and in front of him was a man taller than himself, with messy black hair and his eyes closed. He was wearing a black jacket, white dress shirt with the top button unbuttoned, black pants, and white socks on his feet.

"Yamino," He asked unsurely. "I am not going crazy, am I?"

"No, Master Loki." Squeaked Yamino in shock, before the man opened his eyes, which were deep brown.

"Hm? What's going on?" He asked in a slightly familiar voice.

Loki looked around the kitchen before he spotted the cake box. He walked over to it and looked inside with a frown. "I should've known."

"What is it?" The man asked uncertainly.

"Another one of Odin's assassins. The cake…had an ingredient in it that apparently makes anyone who eats it completely and utterly human. I'm sorry, Fenrir, but…" The god looked down.

"I'll just get a mirror now…" Yamino said, running out of the room, unsure of how to break the awkward air.

"Human?" Fenrir whispered, holding up one very human hand.

His voice, which had only deepened slightly so it sounded more realistic to the age he appeared, sounded so much quieter to him.

"How did he get used to this?" Fenrir turned to his father, speaking of his brother.

"Hm…we'll be with you throughout the entire thing, so don't worry. Meanwhile, if anyone asks you're just Yamino's older brother."

Loki wasn't showing it, but inside he was rather proud of his handsome children...

"Damn Odin…" Fenrir leaned against the side of the table with a frown as Yamino came back in, handing him a small mirror.

And it began…

X0oX0o

"And that's the end of the story." Ken finished to Mayura the next day at school.

"Wow. Norse gods are such a mys-" Mayura began, but was interrupted by Noriko. "Ken! Can we talk?"

"Hm? Of w-"

He was dragged off by the goddess. School hadn't started yet, so they were safe outside.

"You _idiot!_" She hit him with a fist, her strength parallel to her husband's. She put a hand on her hip and tapped a foot. "Do you WANT Mayura to know?"

"Yes, actually I do!" Ken said in annoyance.

Noriko looked angry. "Well I don't!"

"It's MY decision to make!" Ken responded with just as much fire and turned on his heel. A flash of light stopped him in his tracks.

He turned to see in place of Noriko a beautiful golden-haired goddess wearing a flowing white dress. She was far taller than he, and Sif was not in a good mood today.

"Damn it!" She said angrily. "I got into a fight with Thor last evening over some statue he fell in love with, and now you're giving me this crap?"

The older goddess suddenly shrunk back into Noriko. "Whatever. I don't need to be on the same side as you and Thor…perhaps I'll just go with father-in-law." She said coolly, walking towards the school.

Ken watched her leave and then sighed. "I could use advice, Mom." He said, looking at the sky and heading back in himself to see Mayura.

"Daidouji are you alright?" Koutarou asked Mayura.

"Yeah." She said, wiping her nose after the unusually timed sneeze…


	3. Investigation & Discovery

_Gah, over a year! Although I didn't intend to take this direction, I really loved this chapter when I finished it (gah, written in less than an hour) So I hope you enjoy...more will be coming soonish. :3 Gracias!_

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 3:

Investigation & Discovery

"Daidouji, don't you think it's a little odd?"

She hadn't really considered how strange the situation was until Koutarou mentioned it. The pink-haired girl blinked at him for a full minute.

Well, Noriko did seem a bit obsessed with Narugami, mythology, and shiny objects. She had gone shopping with the new girl just yesterday and had been dragged into a dozen jewelry stores. Not that Mayura minded--some of those necklaces had to be cursed! That one with the pink stones was very myste--

She shook her head, getting back to the issue. Ken and Noriko were weird, but then again, Noriko was friends with Loki. All of Loki's friends were weird. Except herself, of course.

And that Higashiyama kid seemed nice too. But Narugami was weird. Yamino was weird. Fenrir was kawaii, but an odd dog (where _did_ he come from?) Reiya was weird (again, cute but strange all the same.)

Finally, Mayura turned to Koutarou and nodded in agreement. "Koutarou-kun, this is one fushigi mystery...I think we should investigate!"

The blonde boy glanced at her, looking bored. "How? What? Who? Daidouji, you have to elaborate."

"We should investigate Loki-kun's friends!" Mayura said, putting her hands on her hips. "Starting with..."

"I'm not an alien! Stop asking!" Narugami said, eyes wide at Mayura's barrage of questions. "If I were an alien, I wouldn't be on your planet--no one here appreciates hard workers!" He added.

Not noticing his editorializing, Mayura sighed. "Well, thank you for your time, Narugami-kun. One last question though...what is your first name?" She asked rapidly, leaning in close to his face.

An inch from her nose, Narugami sweat. What was a mortal name? A Japanese name? Was "Thor" normal here? If it wasn't, it certainly should have been. He looked annoyed at the very thought, then remembered a joking comment Loki had made a few weeks ago.

"Tohru." He said, face drooping.

The pink-haired girl's eyes lit up. "Kya! Like Tohru Honda from Furuba. How exciting...but you aren't friends with magical bishonens, right?"

What was a bishonen? Narugami blinked at her. His magic had enabled him to speak Japanese, but he didn't quite understand _that._ "Uh...no?" He half-asked her.

"Oh." Was she disappointed? "Okay, bye Narugami-kun!" Mayura waved and began to walk away, Koutarou following behind.

The blonde glanced back at the thunder god and flashed him a smirk before turning back to Mayura to ask her something.

"Man, that guy's a creep." Narugami muttered. "He reminds me of someone...oh yeah, Loki." Grumbling, he decided to head back to work. After all, he had to support Sif now, too...

"Freyr shall become a robot from the future for you, Yamato Nadeshiko! Say the word and Freyr will obey!"

Freyr was a moron. No doubt about it. Loki's woman--the Midgard one--had appeared and starting harrassing him about how she "knew his secret". Apparently, she didn't.

Damn mortal. Freyr was in his usual love mode, gushing over his traditional Japanese woman. Loki's foolish lover hadn't the slightest idea that he liked her. She kept going on about how kaitous were supposed to have some magical secret or be from the future, and fortunately, Freyr was intelligent enough not to mention Asgard.

"I am in fact a god, Yamato Nadeshiko..." Freyr bragged.

Nevermind. He was moron. An idiot. A fool, a nitwit...he could go on for hours.

"Eh? Gods don't--" Mayura paused. "Kami-sama never mentioned a brother!"

"Who is this kami-sama? Freyr will slay him--"

Damn, Freyr was going on too much. Loki's woman could not know their secret--it would only make him more obsessed with protecting her. Then his new plan would never succeed!

"Mayura-san...oh no, is my big brother bothering you?" He needed to wash his mouth out after this.

When she saw him appear, the pink-haired girl gasped. "Higashiyama-kun! You're related to Kaitou-san?"

"Oh, yes. He's my brother." Heimdall was feeling sick from the sweetness of his words.

"What? Freyr is? But mine sister Freya is--" Freyr began, but was whomped in the back by the watcher god.

"He's also insane. Mental problems run in the family." Heimdall wasn't really lying. There was something wrong with those siblings...

"Please forgive him for his craziness. I'll keep him on a leash if you'd like." Hemidall said with a formal bow.

"Um...that isn't necessary." Loki's woman had an odd look on her face. "Koutarou-kun...don't we need to go to that dinner...?"

"Huh?" Koutarou said helpfully, then realized what she was getting at. "Oh. Yeah. Sorry to leave so suddenly, er..." He glanced at Freyr uncertainly. "But we have a previous engagement."

"Oh, that's fine." Perfect, they were leaving! Heimdall smiled. "Bye, Daidouji-san! Thanks for talking to my lunatic brother..."

He waved as the teenagers left. When they were out of sight, he smacked Freyr. "Idiot!"

They bickered for a few hours.

Mayura sighed. "Nevermind..."

"Nevermind what, Daidouji?" Koutarou asked, turning to the shorter girl.

"All of Loki-kun's friends are weird." Mayura clarified. "I'm starting to think that Kami-sama has something to do with it." She added, looking down as she walked.

"What?" Koutarou asked, stopping. "Kami-sama?"

"I met a god--a handsome blonde god who brought Loki-kun back to me when he had vanished. He seemed to know me, and I met him a few weeks before...I'm just starting to wonder if there's something supernatural about Loki-kun."

"Daidouji, don't tell me you think he's a ghost."

"No, of course not. He could be an alien or a robot or a shrunken teenage detective or a secret agent in disguise...or..."

The silence was long.

"Daidouji?"

"Koutarou-kun, what if Loki _is_ Kami-sama?"

The blonde turned to her, frowning. "What?" He hadn't been paying much attention until that moment.

"Koutarou-kun, Ken-kun said that there's a god named Loki who has a son named Fenrir and magical powers. He's supposed to be a bishonen--which Kami-sama definitely was--and Loki-kun has a pet named Fenrir. Is it possible everything's just a coincidence?" She glanced up at him sadly.

Koutarou seemed distracted. "What did Ken say?"

"He kept talking about the god Loki's wife Sigyn, and how she was the only faithful lover of his. But she only had twins with him, and some giantess--"

"Angrboda." Koutarou interrupted.

"What?"

"The giantess was named Angrboda."

"Right." Giving him a look, she continued. "He had three kids with Angerboaty. And there was also a horse, Koutarou-kun!"

"That's disgusting." Koutarou said, face faulting. "C'mon, Daidouji, this is silly..."

"No, Koutarou-kun! I've finally solved the mystery. Loki-kun is Kami-sama!" Mayura gasped at it and began to pace on the sidewalk. "How am I going to approach him? Fenrir is his son? Who is Yamino-san, then? Maybe Narugami-kun is one of his other ki--"

Her eyes rolled back as Koutarou gently tapped her forehead. Catching the mystery geek, the blonde sighed. "Sorry, Daidouji, but if you know the truth, you'll only ruin my plans."

"Hey, what happened to Mayura-chan?"

Koutarou nearly dropped the unconscious detective when he heard a voice. Turning to look at the speaker, he felt himself tense. Noriko? He had his suspicions about her...

"Daidouji fainted after running around screaming about mysteries for ten minutes straight." Lies came easily to him. "She should be okay soon."

Noriko glanced him up and down, clearly not believing. "You remind me of someone I used to know." She said after a full minute.

Koutarou just raised an eyebrow in reply.

It happened so quickly that he barely registered what she had done. But glancing over at Noriko, he noticed that she had taken Mayura from his arms and was now supporting the girl.

"Baldur, I don't know how you're alive or what you're up to, but if you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from us. Come too close and we will strike you down."

"What?" Koutarou raised an eyebrow. "We?"

"Loki." She elaborated. "Thor. Me." She paused.

"You may have killed Sigyn, Baldur, but Loki's twin sons are still out there." There was so much spite in her voice. "And when Narfi and Vali meet up again, they will search for you. When they find you, they'll kill you. And I'll give them a map. So watch yourself, so-called god of light." She turned on her heel and stomped off, dragging Mayura with her.

Koutarou wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

"Is it true?" His thoughts were interrupted again.

Heimdall was standing behind him, wearing that pathetic child form. "Baldur, we all thought you had died. By Loki's hand." He sounded more critical than concerned.

Koutarou sighed then flashed him a trademark smirk. "I don't know what you people are talking about. You said it yourself, Baldur is dead. How can someone dead come back to life?" He began to walk away, ignoring Heimdall's angry expression.

His plan was ruined. Why did everyone happen to be watching? Daidouji's deductions had messed everything up.

Then something dawned on him. There was one person he could ask for help from...they hadn't spoken in years, naturally, but all siblings were connected...if only by blood.

_Note: Five reviews before an update With so many on Story Alert, that's hardly unreasonable..._


	4. A Strange Visitor! The Eldest Son

_Warnings: Norse god-ness (I have tried to explain everything in the text but there's a guide at the bottom ;D), Fenrirpairing!ness, death, timeline broken-ness, and the usual insanity that comes with any of my stories :P_

_Chapter Preview: Fenrir finds mortal (or is it?) love, a family member influenced by a stupidity spell appears, and Yamino learns of his stepmother's (deleted...you'll have to read to find out!) And I give another hint at who Ken is. You'll find out for sure within two chapters, methinks! For now, enjoy..._

All-Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 4:

A Strange Visitor! The Eldest Son Appears

"What the hell? You want me to watch how humans interact with each other?"

Great. That was just what he needed.

"Well," the old man said (in that little kid form again), "watching them is the best way to learn how to be like them."

Fenrir half-growled, frustrated by the situation. He couldn't even growl properly in this damn new form.

Midgardsormr adjusted his glasses. "Brother, you should get groceries!"

The great wolf stared at his brother, wondering if too much time in a mortal form made demigods insane. "What?"

"Please? We need them anyway and groceries stores are wonderful places to meet people!" His younger brother's eyes were flashing with joy at the idea of Fenrir socializing.

"Ugh." Damn, the old man was giving him a _look_. "Fine." He muttered. "I'll go get the groceries."

"I will lead you to the store so you don't get lost!" Midgardsormr--he went by Ryuusuke Yamino on Midgard--said, taking Fenrir's hand and leading him towards the grocery store.

"Loki-sama, do not let Mayura-san destroy the kitchen like she did last time!" Ryuusuke called back to their father. Fenrir could've sworn that the old man rolled his eyes and smirked darkly.

Looking down the familiar street, Fenrir shook his head. "Everything looks different. Like...there's some weird human layer."

Yamino blinked at him. "Colors, you mean?"

The currently mortal wolf shrugged. "How should I know?"

"Dogs and wolves do not see in color, if I remember correctly. Humans do. It's odd, isn't it?" His little brother answered.

"Really weird." Fenrir agreed as he was led into a large store. He saw the food, but it looked smaller and less dull with his new human perspective. He couldn't smell it as well as usual either, and sighed with disappointment.

"Okay, you watch people and I'm going to go get food for dinner!" Yamino announced, dropping his older brother off in an aisle.

Fenrir sighed. "Great. Thanks." He replied sarcastically. Damn that Midgardsormr for leaving him in the middle of some weird Midgard mortal st--

"I'm sorry!" Okay, a girl had bumped into him. A pretty girl--he thought--who seemed familiar. Apparently she thought so too because she was staring up at him. But with the lack of smells and the new colors and the weird human senses, he couldn't tell. Who was she again...?

Daddy's woman? No, she had long hair.

Mother? No, she was the same height but he would always recognize his mother.

Maybe it was Hel...? Why the hell would Hel be in a supermarket? What did she eat anyway? Human souls? Fear? Fire? He wasn't sure, but he would ask next time.

He then realized that he had been staring at this girl for an entire minute without saying anything. As far as he knew, that was bad. Especially because she was gaping at him.

"Uh...it's okay." He finally said, trying to remember the proper mortal method for this.

"Um, do I know you?" She asked, looking at his face with those pretty eyes (he had no idea what the color was called though) and a nice voice and...

THUMP.

"Ow." He muttered, glancing off to the side. THUMP. "Okay, what the hell is that noise? Damn that thumping." He whispered to himself.

"Sorry?" The girl asked, blinking at him now.

"Something's wrong..." He growled.

"Did I hurt you?" She asked, looking around, as if expecting someone else to arrive.

"No, it wasn't you...I'm fine..." Fenrir replied, wondering if it had indeed been her.

She stared at him again with those small, sparkling eyes then sighed, muttering something to herself. "I feel really bad now. I should watch where I'm going. But if you're okay, I'm going to go now." This conversation had gone on too long. She began to walk away.

Watching her go, he began to hear the thump again. "W-wait!" He found himself saying. "Food."

She turned around. "What?"

Fenrir sighed. "Food. Dinner. Meat. Treat me and you won't have to feel guilty about injuring me."

She frowned deeply, thinking hard. Suddenly (he was pretty sure this didn't usually happen to mortals), an apple flew from the next aisle over and smacked her on the head. Glancing at it, she nodded. "Alright, pick me up at the fortuneteller's tent tomorrow at eight. I'll treat you." She began to walk away again.

"Brother, I have the food!" Yamino announced, running up to him with a large basket. He blinked at his brother. "Are you okay?"

Fenrir frowned. "I met a girl, she's buying me dinner tomorrow, and I'm hearin' thump sounds. I don't understand mortals." He growled.

"Thump...?" Yamino looked confused before his eyes widened. "Ah, no! Brother, you've become a womanizer like Loki-sama!"

"The old man ain't a womanizer!" Fenrir growled back.

"Sleipnir, Fenrir, Midgardsormr, Hel, Narfi, Vali..." Yamino began to list Loki's children.

"Hey, the old man is Sleipnir's mother. So he's a manizer and a womanizer." Fenrir explained with a glare.

Yamino sighed. "I try not to think about Sleipnir much..." After all, his half-brother was a flying horse. Loki-sama had an odd love life...

Meanwhile, in the next aisle over, Skuld and Verdandi were dancing around their big sister. "Urd has a boyfriend! Urd has a boyfriend!"

The blonde rolled her eyes. "I don't go for his type. I'm just treating him to dinner. Besides, we have business on Midgard that does not involve men."

"Urd's gonna get married! Urd's gonna get married!" The other Norns chanted and Urd wondered if it would be so terrible to kill the present and future.

X

"I just fainted?" Mayura asked Noriko as she sat on her desk with the blonde at the seat below her. "How mysterious..."

"Yeah. You just fainted. A real mystery." Noriko muttered, glaring at Koutarou. Narugami seemed confused.

"What's wrong?" He asked his wife quietly.

"Later. It's about our hometown." Noriko answered, twisting a strand of hair.

Koutarou sighed and approached them. "Daidouji, you were talking to Higashiyama and then just passed out. You were running around a lot yesterday." He explained.

"Oh, wow! Did Higashiyama-kun say anything?" Mayura said hopefully, eyes glittering.

"I don't remember." Koutarou lied easily, glancing at the suspecting Noriko.

Ken gave a large sigh, drawing their attention to the boy. Mayura had nearly forgotten that he was present!

"It is one strange mystery." Ken agreed, tapping his desk. "I don't really like that kid."

Narugami sweat-dropped. Even the mortal boy recognized that Heimdall was evil!

Wait, was that kid mortal? Why did Sif know him anyway? He glanced between Noriko and Ken, confused.

"Higashiyama-kun is fine, Ken-kun. He's friends with Loki-kun!" Mayura explained.

"You sure?" Ken asked, giving her a look of uncertainty.

"Well...I guess not..." Mayura admitted, glancing at Noriko.

"Class!" The principal walked into the room, and everyone rushed back to their proper seats.

"Yagami-sensei was in a car accident last night. Fortunately, she is in stable condition at the hospital." Everyone gasped and began to gossip about it.

Mayura's eyes glittered at the new mystery.

"Your substitute here is Ishida-sensei, and I'm sure she will treat you well. Enjoy." As he walked out, a tall woman with blue hair in a bun walked in. She was wearing a skirt suit and a low-cut shirt, with black heels and large glasses.

"Hello, class. I'm Ishida Ran." She said, and Mayura couldn't help but shiver at her cold voice. "Your new sensei. I hope we have a wonderful year together!" She smiled warmly. "Let's start by introducing yourselves to me!"

As the students began to talk, Noriko exchanged glances with Ken. The black-haired boy frowned at the new teacher, tapping his desk nervously.

"Sif..." Narugami whispered to Noriko, not letting his gaze leave Ran Ishida, "Isn't Ran the name of the goddess of water?"

"Yes. And she wants Loki dead...under Odin's orders." Noriko said, clenching a fist. "And everyone else close to him, too. She will stop at nothing."

"Great." Narugami sighed. "Just what we need...WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"

His last words were directed at the face smashed against the window next to Ken's desk. The person moaned something that sounded much like "nabrolosomgard" and fell to the ground outside.

"Oh my! You should get away from the window. I heard about an escapee from a local asylum." Sensei said, growing pale.

"Nah." Ken said, opening the window and looking down. "It's my idiotic relative. Don't know how he found me, but he's not insane." He blinked. "Well, no more than the rest of us. May I be excused to take him home so he doesn't scare anyone else?"

Ran sighed. Damn mortal kid messing everything up. "Fine. Go."

Koutarou watched Ken leave the classroom and sighed. Things could still turn out to his advantage...as long as Ken didn't notice.

But knowing that man, he had.

X

"Midgard's really pretty!"

Viewers gasped as a boy with short black hair escorted a taller man down the street. Said taller man had long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and was wearing a black suit.

"Yes, it's lovely." Ken replied, pulling the older man towards Loki's mansion. "Why are you here? You, of all people..."

The man blinked at him. "I'm not allowed to visit my mommy? O-or my friends? Or Uncle Thor?!" He began to sob, clinging to Ken.

Ken frowned. "You're acting really weird, you know. You're usually so serious. Plus...aren't you supposed to be loyal to Odin?"

The blonde man pouted. "I like Odin, but I'm not loyal to him anymore. I don't approve of people hurting my mommy."

Ken sweat-dropped. "Right. Well, will your mother even recognize you like that? It's been years you know."

"Mothers always recognize their children! No matter what." The older man explained, now walking beside the shorter boy.

"Apparently not. I'm not having any luck at all."

The taller man paused to stare at the boy. "Oh...maybe you aren't trying hard enough?"

"He doesn't know."

Ken sounded disappointed.

"He? Daddy's here?!" The blonde man looked around rapidly, having a minor spasm.

"No, your father isn't here!" Ken groaned. "At least I don't think so."

"Oh...but my mother is?"

"Hel and Angrboda aren't present. The others are." Pause. "Well, except Sigyn. But you know..."

"KYAA! A house!" The blonde man announced, pointing at the mansion.

"Yeah...that's Loki's house. You should go in." Ken sighed. Man, he was stupid right now...was there a spell on him?

"Yay! I'm going into a Midgard house!" The man almost shrieked in joy as he began to skip towards the house.

"Don't mention me."

"Huh?" The man turned back around, blinking.

"Please just...don't mention me. I haven't worked out what to do yet." Ken explained, not meeting the older man's gaze.

"Okay...but you be careful! Keep Aunt Sif safe!"

"She isn't..." There was no point in explaining. "Yeah. Fine, I'll keep her safe." With that, Ken turned around, heading back to school.

"Hihihihihihi!" The man said, knocking on the door to the mansion. When no one answered after five seconds, he began to twitch. "WAHHH NO ONE LOVES ME..." He whined, leaning against the door.

Yamino opened it at that moment, and the blonde man fell to the ground in the parlor.

Looking around, the man snapped back to attention. "Oh my, how shiny! Midgard is shiny!" When Yamino closed the door, the visitor noticed the butler. "Who're youuu?"

Then he gasped. "Mommy's lover?!"

"What? Who are you?" Yamino was really confused. "Um...Loki-sama is not present, and I'm not anyone's lover..." Loki was currently visiting Reiya.

The man blinked. "Oh. Not good enough?" He gave him a pitying look. "Mommy is very picky!"

"Um...who is your mother?" Yamino had no idea what to do. This man had been screaming about Midgard, so it was obviously a god. And apparently a dumb one.

Which gods were dumb?

Sigyn was kinda ditzy, but she was his stepmother and most definitely not a blonde man. Sif and Freya had their moments...

Frigg sometimes bashed in people's heads with rolling pins, but generally she was okay...his mother was fine...

Why was he thinking of women? This guy was a man...

Who was mommy-obsessed?

He blinked. No one. Most didn't even care--except Loki's kids. Wait...was this Sigyn's son? She had twins just before they had been banished...

"Vali? Narfi?" Yamino suggested.

"They're in--" The man tensed up. "They'reDEADbecauseOdinisabigmeaniebuttandhealsoputsomeshinydustonmeandIfeltwheewhenIwokeupanditwasbad."

"What?" That definitely hadn't gotten through.

"The twins are dead. With their mother." The blonde man explained, looking less than distressed.

"No...that's not..." Stepmother dead? Both of the twins? How was...Odin. Odin had done it. Or perhaps Baldur--possessing the king of the gods.

"Yamino!" Loki-sama! He was home! Thank (well, themselves, he noted) that he had arrived to save the poor middle son from the stupidity of this god (whoever he was).

Opening the door, Yamino nearly hugged his father for saving him but froze. "Loki-sama?" He asked nervously, looking the person up and down.

The blonde woman standing before him sighed. "Sleipnir's here, isn't he?" She asked in a voice only slightly higher than his father's.

"S-sleipnir?" He glanced at the blonde man. Ooh. That made sense.

After all, Sleipnir his half-brother. And a horse--a magical horse--born of his father (on some crazy distraction mission while posing as a mare). So his mommy was...?

No, but Sleipnir was intelligent. Quiet, thoughtful, intimidating. He never called ANYONE "mommy".

"Loki-sama...why?" Yamino didn't understand his father's current form.

"A spell my brother--Odin--thought would be amusing. It's revenge for a prank gone too far." She smirked darkly. That had been worth it. "Whenever Sleipnir calls me 'mommy', I turn into a woman." Loki rolled her eyes. "That was eons ago, of course, back when my brother wasn't trying to kill me. And Sleipnir hasn't called me that for years..."

Walking inside, she sighed. "You're human, too? Is someone after all my kids? I should contact Sigyn...I'm not sure how though."

"Mommy!" Loki was nearly knocked over by the blonde demigod. "Midgard is scary."

"Not as scary as our family..." Yamino sweat-dropped. "Loki-sama, I should also mention that big brother"--he ignored how Sleipnir's ears perked up--"has a date. With a woman who I suppose is mortal."

"Good for him! One of you better get those genes." Loki muttered.

Noting his father's expression, Yamino frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"Freya molested me again, and now my oldest kid's reverted to being a three year old. It's been a bad day."

"I'll help you fix Sleipnir. Plus, Mayura-san should be by this afternoon."

That always made his father perk up.

X/

_Nihao! Welcome to the post-chapter ANs. Sorry for any grammar/spelling issues, spellcheck doesn't work on Wordpad. _

_I really want another five reviews before continuing. If you have read this far but have no comments about the chapter, you could answer these in a review! _

_Who is your favorite AAA character so far? (optional:why?)/Who does Color write best?_

_Which Norse god do you want to see appear most?_

_If YOU had to couple up Fenrir with someone, who would you choose?_

_Who is Koutarou/Ken REALLY?_

_If you guess the final question's answer correctly, I will write you a MLR oneshot on any topic you want with any pairing. There will be two winners--whoever guesses Koutarou and one for Ken's guesser. :P_

_Thanks so much! I love my readers, even if you decide not to review. _

_The next chapter...involves murder! BWAHAHAHAHA! Well, attempted murder anyway._


	5. It's Raining Revelations

_Warnings: OOCness, randomness, angst, OCs, no spellcheck (gah, thanks for that Wordpad...), etc. You should be used to it by now. I'm weird about my honorifics, using them with people who are Japanese or pretending to be (such as Yamino) but the Norse gods probably don't care too much about using them..._

_Preview: Loki hears awful news, a vision from the past comes, and a secret about Mayura is revealed! Not that you weren't predicting it..._

All-Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 5:

It's Raining Revelations

"Ugh...what have I been doing the past two days?" The blonde man on the couch was rather nauseated and tired. "Why must I be so susceptible to spells?"

"I'm just glad that my home remedy for personality spells worked! It only took three tries, too." Yamino was rather proud of himself.

Sleipnir just sighed, trying not to throw up. "You seem happy. All of you. Unfortunately, Uncle intends to stop that."

"How?" Yamino frowned. "Loki-sama has his powers back..."

"But Uncle has hundreds of assassins." The demigod didn't miss a beat. "And they don't mind dying for him."

"Sif already mentioned that." Loki said idly, back in his usual child form. "I have yet to see any new ones though. Heimdall, Freyr, Freya, and the Norns have been quiet lately." He paused for a minute before remembering something. "Sleipnir, do you have any news about Sigyn, Narfi, and Vali?"

The blonde demigod glanced at the floor, trying to think of a way to answer.

"Well?"

"Who's that?" Fenrir asked, entering the room. "A client?"

"Your brother." Sleipnir said, glaring at his half-brother.

They never did get along, Yamino recalled, as Fenrir sat on the couch and continued watching the horse.

Brushing a hand through his hair, Sleipnir finally answered. "Sigyn and the twins are dead."

"What?" Loki asked, eyes widening.

Yamino frowned. Sleipnir had said that earlier. But how was it possible? Sure, Sigyn wasn't the brightest goddess or the most powerful, but how could Odin kill a woman and two children? Narfi and Vali had been about two years old when Loki was banished.

"No...that's not..." Loki began to pace. "That's not possible! He wouldn't do that! He can't...she can't be dead!"

"That was when half the gods lost respect for him. When he killed the twins." Sleipnir paused, calculating something.

"Others say the...others say they would just cause pain. Some gods supported him. Many are under spells or being blackmailed into his service. Others want revenge on you--us--or are jealous. Everyone on his side has a reason, just as we have ours."

"Loki-sama..." Yamino could see his father tearing up at the thought of his family's death. As much as it pained him, Yamino knew that his mother had never been Loki's true love, and that his father would rather die than see a scratch come to the faithful wife Sigyn.

"I need to be alone." Loki brushed by the others, out of the room, and out the door. Sadly, he headed down the street without a direction in mind.

"Damn it...why did you have to tell him!" Fenrir growled at Sleipnir.

"She deserved to know." The blonde said, frowning. "Why should Mother go ignorant of Uncle's horrible deeds?"

"The old man's gonna be broken 'cause of this, you damn horse!" Fenrir answered, looking ready to beat up said horse demigod.

Sleipnir stood up. "I'm not your enemy--this is just silly!"

"I agree." Yamino interrupted. "Let's not fight. We need to find Loki-sama and make sure he doesn't hurt himself in his..." He sighed. "His sadness."

"I need to cancel that food." Fenrir growled, referring to his date. "No way I'm gonna go out with some mortal girl when..."

"No, brother. You should go." Yamino was frowning. "You have no way to contact that girl, and Sleipnir and I can care for Loki-sama." With his half-brother around, Fenrir was useless. The two couldn't stop fighting for a minute...

"Besides, it's in a few hours. You have time to help."

"Help what?" Mayura asked, entering the room. "Kyaa! Who's this?" She asked, noticing Fenrir and Sleipnir.

Great, the mortal was getting involved...

"This is my big brother, Fuuto!" That was a Japanese name, right? "And my half-brother, Satoshi." He had definitely seen that name in one of Mayura's manga (she left them nearly every week, telling Loki that he needed to experience childhood adventures).

"I'm Daidouji Mayura. Nice to meet you." Mayura bowed and looked around. "Yamino-san, where's Loki-kun?"

"Well...um..." Yamino glanced at his brothers uncertainly.

"Helloooo! EEK!" Noriko said, entering and seeing Sleipnir. "Is everyone visiting lately?!"

Ken wasn't far behind.

"You know Satoshi-san?" Mayura blinked at Noriko.

"We're related." She answered vaguely.

As enjoyable as this was, Ken interrupted the conversation. "Where is the detective?"

"Out. Visiting his mother!" Wow, it was easy to make up excuses, Yamino noted.

"Loki-kun has a mother?!" Mayura asked, very surprised.

Well, not really, Yamino sweat-dropped. "Um..."

"_I did what you told me to."_

Ken looked at Sleipnir from across the room, a bit confused by that thought. _"They helped you...?"_

_"Fortunately. Anyway, Mother heard the news and fled."_

_"What news?"_

_"About the three deaths?"_

_"No! You weren't supposed to say he killed--I have to go track him down and fix this. Ran's here."_

_"What?"_

_"Ran's here! On Midgard...hunting him. I have to go..."_

"Ken-kun, where are you going?" Mayura asked as Ken walked out the door.

"To help someone!" Ken called back, running down the street in hopes of finding Loki. He only hoped he could find the god before Ran did.

X

Dead.

His family was dead.

Loki let out a long breath as he sat on the park bench. It wasn't dark yet, but the park was empty--it was a bit cold out, he noted. Not to mention the drizzle--he couldn't blame the mortals for staying inside tonight with their families.

Sigyn. His wife. The faithful goddess (with beauty unlike any other) was dead, killed by Odin's hand. And his sons--his baby boys--were dead. Both of the twins. Gone forever because that damn Odin wanted to see him cry!

Well, it had worked, he noted, he was crying for the first time in many years. He hadn't cried this way when Angrboda left him, but Sigyn was different.

He hadn't noticed her for centuries. She often sat talking to his brother's wife, Frigg, when the queen of the gods was arguing with her king. Loki, in turn, would talk to his brother about the disagreements and offer advice.

One day, Frigg had demanded that Sigyn go talk to Odin for her--to prove a point. Odin requested the same thing of Loki--and he had fallen for the young goddess at first sight.

He never knew who her parents were, or any of her relations for that matter. He didn't understand what she was the goddess of, or what she wanted in life. He did, however, know that she was ditzy and clumsy, but also kind and loyal.

Mayura reminded him of her, he noted, with a sad chuckle. Perhaps that was why he had fallen for the mortal girl.

He felt a pang in his heart when he realized that he had betrayed his only faithful lover. He had fallen for a silly mortal girl with a kind heart, and betrayed Sigyn. It was his fault.

His sons...Narfi and Vali. The twins, prophesized to participate in Ragnarok, were also dead. He didn't remember much about them--they had been so young when he was banished. He never said goodbye.

He could only remember that Narfi took after his mother--shy, kind, and often ditzy. Vali was Loki's son through and through--from a young age, he attracted the goddesses and often asked to hear stories about the pranks Loki had committed.

It didn't matter now.

The rain was falling harder, and he looked up, realizing that someone was watching.

"Detective." Koutarou acknowledged him, sitting on the bench next to the god of chaos. "You look upset."

"I don't like the rain." Loki answered evasively, looking back at his lap. This boy reminded him of himself, as well, long before his banishment. But Koutarou was difficult to fully appreciate, because of his distinct habits that reminded Loki of Baldur.

The god of light had vanished years ago, and most assumed him to be dead. Although very similar in personality, Loki had never gotten along with his fellow god.

"It's not just that, is it?"

Awakened from his thoughts, Loki turned to the boy. Looking down, he decided to reply. "I just heard of some deaths in my family."

Koutarou smiled darkly. "Did they deserve it?"

Loki stared at that smirk, frowning deeply. "What? No, of course not!" How dare he even imply that Sigyn had done anything wrong? She was so pure, so kind, so...

"But it was your fault." The blonde boy said, standing up and glaring down at Loki. "You're the cause of all the pain your family experiences, right?"

The chibi god's eyes widened. "N-no..." Was it his fault? Was he responsible? If he had died, could they have lived? Koutarou was right...

As he buried his head in his lap, he heard noises coming from above. He tried covering his ears, but the horrifying slithering came through.

"Oh, but it was."

It was her. It was Sigyn!

He recognized the long black hair, the violet eyes, the body that gave him his twins. She was wearing Koutarou's school uniform, just as the boy had been earlier. She had replaced him, no she had displaced him...he had become her...

"You killed me. Don't blame it on your brother. But I forgive you." Her voice was melodic.

"Y-you do?" What was going on? Consumed by his grief and shock, Loki couldn't think straight.

"Now if you'll just die, we can be together forever..." Sigyn said, eyes widening with evil as a sword appeared from nowhere.

"Stop!"

Both Loki and Sigyn turned towards the voice.

"Ken...?" Loki asked, staring as the black-haired boy came towards them.

"Stay back, mortal, or he dies." Sigyn warned, glancing between Loki and the boy.

Ken sighed. "Loki, you're not a fool. And you're not to blame for what happened. Don't let the image of your beloved destroy you. That's not Sigyn. Sigyn is dead, just like Sleipnir said."

"I knew you weren't a mortal." Loki whispered, before turning to the fake Sigyn. "I'm sorry, Sigyn. Again."

The false Sigyn gasped as Loki's crescent staff appeared and he slashed it through her.

She fell to the ground, before vanishing into a puddle of water. The silver sword landed on the grass.

"How dare you! Do you know the difficulty of creating a water being?" Someone hissed, and a tall woman with blue hair appeared from behind a tree. Her hair was so long that it trailed behind her, and she wore a thin black halter top that exposed far too much skin--Ken nearly had a nosebleed--and a long black skirt.

"Ran, why are you here?" Loki asked the usually helpful goddess of the sea.

She narrowed her eyes. "You will die, Loki. Whether by my hands, Baldur's, or someone else's. We will bury you before this saga is over. You have sinned so much that nothing can redeem you now. Sigyn will never forgive you for her death...her ghost will haunt you forever." She vanished into the rain.

The sky cleared up immediately.

The detective turned back to Ken. "So you are a god, right?"

"Sort of. Not a very good one." The black-haired boy muttered, sitting on the bench next to Loki. "My powers have always been shaky at best."

"So Sleipnir was right? They're really dead?"

Turning to the distressed fire god, Ken sighed. "No, they aren't."

Afraid to hope, Loki swallowed. "They're alive?"

"Yes. Well, no." Ken paused. "Sigyn has been reincarnated on Midgard. Sif and I have been watching her."

The detective blinked. "What do you mean...? Sigyn's a baby mortal now?"

"No! Time...time has worked differently in Asgard ever since you left. You messed up the time stream and Verdandi had to fix it somehow... Sigyn begged the Norns to see you one last time before she died, and they obeyed, sending her into the past. So she was reborn in Midgard years ago, and grew into the appropriate age to meet you. I really don't understand it, myself, and you know how Verdandi is. She can't explain anything."

"I don't understand either. Can you get to the point?" This was giving Loki a headache.

"Mayura is Sigyn's reincarnation. Without her memories or powers."

Aw, damn it.

X

"Whoa..." That was all he could say.

The pretty mortal girl just smiled at his expression. "Yes, well, my sisters suggested that we go here because of the buffet. I hope it's acceptable."

"Acceptable?" Fenrir stared at her. "It's amazing! The old man never mentioned this!"

"Your father?" She asked knowingly.

"That's the old man." Fenrir answered, taking a plate and piling an absurd amount of food onto it.

He took it back to the table and stared at it.

Sitting down with her own small plate, the girl raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

"How do I eat this?"

Mortals were weird, Urd noted. "With chopsticks or a fork...?"

"Oh." Fenrir took one of the said chopsticks and speared a piece of meat.

"No...that's not..." Urd sweat-dropped. What was she, a babysitter? Why had her sisters forced her to go to dinner with this man?

"Let me show you." Taking pity on the poor mortal, she took his hand in hers and instructed him on fork usage.

He felt his face heat up. Damn it, why were mortal bodies so confusing? How had his brother survived this? Then again, his brother was a glasses-wearing neatfreak so mortal women weren't an issue for him...

His heart was thumping again. He would definitely need to ask the old man about this. This girl was giving him a disease or something. Freaky mortal girls.

"Are you blonde?" He asked her, remembering his father's remark that "blonde mortal girls were fun but freaky".

What was wrong with this man!? Urd tried to avoid looking at his DEFINITELY NOT CUTE face.

Verdandi was going to die for his. Skuld had better just watch out, because she would follow suit...

"Achoo!" Remarked a bush outside the restaurant.

"Bless you." The bush beside it said, offering a tissue.

"Thanks." The first said, and Verdandi peaked her head out from the brush. "Wait, since when do bushes offer tissues?" Something to experiment on! Yes, she would create a talking bush...

"Verdandi?" Yamino peaked his head out from the other bush. "What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here, Midgardsormr?" Verdandi asked, face faulting.

"My brother had an accident...and a date tonight." Yamino said, gesturing to the restaurant. "I was going to watch him, since Loki-sama came home a few minutes ago."

"Urd has a date too!" Verdandi said, tapping her chin. "Wait, you don't think...?" The middle siblings exchanged a look then peaked into the restaurant window.

They both sunk back into the bushes.

"Urd...is dating my brother..." Yamino said in a hollow voice, staring off into space.

"Wait! This might not be so bad. Your brother is hard to get along with, right? And bosses you around, and takes your dresses?"

"Well, not the last part..."

"This is a great distraction! Maybe they'll even fall in love!"

"Don't you want Loki-sama dead...?"

"Well, not anymore! We're on your side now anyway. Let's not tell them who the other is! I really like this idea!"

"Verdandi..." Yamino did not really like this idea. "They wouldn't actually fall in love, right?"

Verdandi blinked. "Let's ask Skuld to look!"

X

"Yep." Skuld said, giggling. "Wow, this is great! I should look into other love lives!" She stared into the crystal and giggled even more. "Oh, I should've known!"

"Wait, so my brother really will fall for your sister?" Yamino was pretty pale.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Skuld asked, tugging on a pigtail.

"But brother is a wolf, and Urd is a Norn..."

"Not now he isn't! We're all gods--or demigods--here." Skuld said with a nod to Yamino. "Besides, you shouldn't be talking..." Her eyes flashed evilly.

"What...?" Yamino decided that he didn't want to know. "Can you see anything else...?"

"No, just that." Was Skuld whining? "Man, Fenrir is kinda cute...like Loki-sama..."

As lovely as it was to hear a Norn fawning over his family, Yamino cleared his throat. "I'm going to have to discuss this with Loki-sama. I won't tell my brother until we've discussed it." He assured them.

The Norns of the present and future watched him go.

"What did you see, Skuld?" The brunette asked her sister, referring to an earlier comment.

Skuld just stuck out her tongue. "Not telling!"

XXX

_Thus concludes another chapter...so do you know who Ken is now? What do you think Skuld saw? Is Mayura really Sigyn's reincarnation? Who do you think will be the next to attack? In future chapters, you'll find out! I would love more reviews...pwease review?_

_By the way, don't be too concerned about the serious Sleipnir, he'll be back to his cutesy form soon enough._

_I will announce at the end of the fic who has won the oneshot prizes so as to avoid spoilers...that is, assuming some of you guessed correctly! Actually, next chapter I will announce the Ken! guesser's fic... _

_Here's this chapter's poll:_

_If you had to pair Hel up with someone in a romantic fashion, who would you pick? _

_NEXT TIME..._

_Ken tells Loki the truth about what happened after his banishment, and Mayura is kidnapped! _


	6. Ken Explains It All

_Hello Welcome to chapter 6! _

_Warnings: OOCness, randomness, angst, OCs, no spellcheck (gah, thanks for that Wordpad...), etc. I'm weird about my honorifics, using them with people who are Japanese or pretending to be (such as Yamino) but the Norse gods probably don't care too much about using them...  
__Preview: Ken reveals himself and explains who Mayura is. Then Mayura is kidnapped!_

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 6:

Ken Explains It All

He was really heavy, Ken noted, especially for a little kid.

As he dropped the detective on the couch (nearly missing it), he let out a breath of relief. Loki had fainted upon hearing the news (understandably) and Ken had been forced to carry the god home.

As he was unceremoniously knocked onto the couch, Loki snapped awake. "Mayura is Sigyn!" He whispered to himself, sitting up. "I don't understand how."

"I already explained it." Ken said, crossing his arms and sitting on the edge of the couch next to Loki.

"I know, but..." The stupid mystery freak was his kind, ditzy, naive Sigyn?

Okay, it made perfect sense but still...

Plus it meant he wasn't really cheating!

Or was he...?

Wait, since when did he actually have feelings for Mayura?

"I have a headache." Loki muttered, burying his face in his hands.

"I'm just glad she left already." Ken said, referring to the female detective in question.

Loki sighed. "How do you know this?"

Ken was just plain annoyed now. "Do I have to explain it again? Please don't make me."

The god cleared his throat and decided to ask something more important. "What happened to my sons?"

"Vali vanished." The black-haired boy replied, leaning back on the cushions.

"What do you mean 'vanished'? And the younger twin? Narfi?" His voice was so eager, so desperate...

"We don't know what happened to Vali. He just...disappeared the night she died." Ken's reply was one of sorrow.

"I don't understand. How? Why didn't someone search...?"

"We did search, okay!" The boy snapped, facing Loki. "We looked for years, but he just vanished. He just vanished." He repeated it, as if engraving it into his own mind.

"And Narfi...?"

"He lived. He remained in the world of the gods, under the protection of..." He paused, almost calculating. "Under Idunn's care."

Idunn was the goddess of youth and the woman who supplied the gods with their apples of immortality. Loki rather enjoyed teasing her--and she was usually a good sport about it. She was quite maternal (once she had even ruffled Loki's hair) and he could not have chosen anyone better to be a foster mother. She was pretty, too--Sigyn used to yell at him whenever he would mention that to her.

"So he's alive?" He was so relieved. "He must be four or so now...has Idunn been treating him well?"

Ken coughed. "Remember how I said time passes differently? I can't believe you've never noticed. Your year and a half on Midgard was over a decade in Asgard. Nearly fourteen years."

"Four--" Loki couldn't say it. He just slumped further down. "I left him for fourteen years?"

"Time has been moving especially fast because of the Norns' presence in Midgard." Ken offered.

"So he's your age? M-mayura's age? Idunn was more of a mother to him than Sigyn ever was...and Bragi more of a father." Loki was whispering now, as if keeping it a secret from himself.

Ken just shrugged as Loki angsted over the muscled husband of Idunn taking over as a father.

Annoyed by the non-response, Loki continued to ask questions. "Did they love him? Were they good to him?"

"They were the only parents he knew." Ken answered softly. "There's nothing to compare them to, but they were pretty great."

Nothing to compare...a wave of guilt swept over Loki. "Does he hate me?"

Ken paused, considering. "No, he doesn't."

"What about his powers? Does he act like Sigyn or like me? When did you last talk to him? Is his hair blonde? Does Sif know him? Do you think he knows anything about Vali...?"

Sweat-dropping at the storm of questions, Ken took a deep breath. "Sigyn, I'd say. At least from what I've heard about her." He paused, trying to remember the other questions. "His powers aren't very strong, but they're pretty good, considering his age. As for Vali...I'm not sure. I just don't know." He admitted. "Oh, Narfi knows Sif..." He glanced away.

Although disappointed to hear the lack of news about Vali, Loki couldn't help but to repeat the questions Ken had missed and to ask a few more.

"Who does he look like? Does he have a girlfriend? How close are you two? How do you know him?"

"He looks like Sigyn, he has no girlfriend, and we're about as close as two people can be." Ken blinked at Loki, wondering if he had answered everything.

Just like Sigyn...wait, no girlfriend? He really was too much like Sigyn. And what did Ken mean by...?

Oh. OOH! Ohohohohohoh.

"You're...er, lovers." Loki was a bit surprised, but then again he had mothered a stallion...

Ken turned apple red and became to stammer something unintelligible when the door to the room opened.

"Loki-sama, we have a probl--" Yamino froze as he walked into the room, noticing Ken. "Ah, sorry to disturb the conversation."

"He's one of us." Loki said, not even flinching. "He's telling me about Narfi. Narfi's alive. Vali might be too."

Seeing the relief in his father's eyes, Yamino turned to Ken. "Are you sure?"

With a tiny smile, Ken nodded. "Narfi's fine. Despite the mental scars of being abandoned as a child, having his twin brother vanish in thin air, and not to mention Idunn's cooking..."

Although Idunn's apples were wonderful, Yamino agreed that her cooking left something to be desired.

"She raised Narfi." Loki explained, glancing over at Ken. "Right?"

Ken gave a single nod.

"That's wonderful. Is there any way we can contact him, Ke--" Yamino paused. "I don't mean to be rude, but precisely which god are you...? Faces and forms become twisted on Midgard."

"Yamino-san is evidence of that." Loki agreed as said son blushed slightly at the comment.

"I really look like this." Ken said with a sweat-drop.

"Oh...then we haven't met. It has been a long time since I last saw the world of the gods." Loki admitted, remembering Ken's earlier comments. "Assuming what you said is true."

"Well, we've met." Ken paused. "Kinda."

"Kinda?" Yamino repeated, wondering exactly what Ken meant.

"Fair enough, I'll tell you the truth but no flipping out, okay? I've been avoiding this for awhile because..." He just shook his head.

Something dawned on the trickster god and he leaned back, at a loss for words. "Oh. You're...I see."

"Who, Master Loki?" Yamino was confused.

"I'm Narfi." Ken elaborated with a tiny, sad smile. "The twin in question."

The snake stared at the pair. "What? But Sigyn--"

"Time passes differently. I'm Mayura's age, I know, but I'm telling you...she's Sigyn. Her soul vanished before the time speed-up and it went back into the past and--and she acts just like my mother. I'm sure of it." Ken said, crossing his arms. "I'm telling you, the time stream is messed up now."

"It's really confusing, I know, but it just is what it is. I don't really understand it myself. As far as I understand, her soul wanted to be with Loki's so much that it drifted through time to do so."

Loki ran a hand through his hair. "This is information overload, here. You're really my son?"

Ken smiled slightly again. "Genetically. I don't blame you for leaving us, though. Vali may, but I don't know where he is anyway. He might be dead--either way, I hold no grudge against you. And I never will, as long as you don't mind that I can never call you 'dad' because Bragi already holds that title."

Loki just nodded, unable to form a suitable reply.

"So you're our brother...but Sleipnir said you were dead." Yamino said, remembering the earlier conversation.

"I told him to say that." Ken explained. "Well, sort of. I told him to tell you that Sigyn and I were missing but safe so you wouldn't be distracted with our disappearances. I hoped to investigate Ran and some others further before revealing myself to you. Didn't want to be involved in the family dynamics." He continued.

"Don't blame you." Loki muttered, rubbing his forehead. "This whole family is messed up because of--" POOF! The child detective suddenly morphed into a curvacious blonde woman. "What now?"

"Damn it, he's under the spell again!" Fenrir said, dragging Sleipnir into the room.

"Mommy, mommy, I was talking to my baby brother and we were walking and suddenly I really wanted to hug you!" Sleipnir gushed, hugging Loki. "Mommy, I missed you." He noticed Ken. "Hi, baby brother #3! Or is it four? I always forget Nana!"

"Nana?" Ken asked, turning white. "Sleipnir, stop falling under spells!" He hissed.

"Nana is so mean to me." Sleipnir pouted, moving to cling to Yamino. "Middy is nicer. Eh, Middy, do you have a girlfriend yet? I saw this really pretty mare--"

"No offense, Sleipnir, but I do not wish to date a horse..." Yamino said awkwardly.

"Punnyan, everyone is funny." Ecchan commented, the lone (real) girl of the bunch.

As she tried to ignore the chaos unfolding around her, Loki turned to Ken. "So you and Sif came down to stop the assassins after me?"

Ignoring the horse, snake, and dog, the god turned to his parent. "And to recover Sigyn's memories. I think we can do it, but I'm not sure how. I should actually get back to Sif now...but I'm glad I told you. Good night, and don't worry." He stood up and let himself out.

"Nana left! Hey, mommy, mommy, mommy, do you think I should marry that mare? She was really, really pretty."

Loki groaned. She was going to be a woman for a longggggg time unless Sleipnir was cured soon...

He did _not_ need this right now. Er, she didn't...

X

Mayura frowned. She hadn't spent much time with Loki-kun lately because of Yamino's brothers' arrival. Plus Ken and Noriko consumed her time. She needed to go solve a fushigi mystery with him badly!

So she made her way to Loki's mansion on a bright, sunny day. Unfortunately she was stopped a few blocks away by a short girl her age. This girl had short blue hair, oddly colored eyes, and an aura that sent Mayura's fushigi mystery detector into spasms.

"Hello!" Mayura greeted her.

The girl blinked lazily and smiled slightly. "Hi." She said quietly. "Are you native?"

Mayura stared at her, trying to understand what she meant. "I'm Japanese...?"

"She is a yamato nadeshiko!" Freyr announced, appearing out of nowhere. "Who be you to view Freyr's yamato nadeshiko with such criticizing eyes? Freyr will punish you if you do not cease the insulting questions!"

"Kaitou-san!" Mayura said, surprised. "What are you--"

"Freyr?" The girl asked, looking him over. Then she smiled widely. "Freya's brother?"

"Yes, Freya is mine darling sister!" Freyr said, frowning. "How did you know?"

The girl twitched and when Mayura blinked, he was in a heap on the ground. "Kyaa! You defeated the thief, Shojo-chan. That was so cool!" Her eyes glittered.

"Y-yamato nadeshiko..." Freyr groaned.

"You know Loki?" The girl asked, ignoring the comments.

"Yes..." Mayura said, confused. "Do you?"

"Love." She said in response and Mayura froze.

"Eh...Loki-kun's girlfriend?!"

The girl smirked evilly and put a hand to Mayura's face. "Lover. Can you say bye-bye?" She asked, and Mayura fell unconscious, only to be whisked away.

XXXX

I hope everyone understood the explanation there about Sigyn & Narfi...I've tried to explain but the nature of this fic is confusing...;D I think you just have to accept that Ken is Narfi and Mayura is Sigyn's reincarnation in this fic, and try not to sweat the details. I don't think Ken gets it either...

Alas, here's the deal with fic requests!

Everyone who said "omg, Ken is Narfi" gets a oneshot on any topic/pairing they want...no yaoi/yuri please though (: Those who I owe: tantei-kitty & contrastingdeath :0 I thought I owed more of you! Egads, well, if I missed you let me know.

Poll: Satisfied with Ken's true identity?

Next Chapter!!: Yamino goes to rescue Mayura, but he doesn't go alone! You won't want to miss this one.


	7. The Missing Tantei

Notes: Fairly short chapter because the next scene after it is big enough to make a chapter of its own. If you didn't read the last chapter or can't remember it, you may want to go read it now. Things are becoming complex. As a side note, I primarily base my stories off the manga if you haven't noticed that yet, but if you've seen the anime you won't be spoiled. Much. Spica aka Angrboda has been adjusted for this fic and my evil purposes. But more of that next time...

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 7:

The Missing Tantei

"She hasn't been in school for days." Ken said, pacing in Loki's study a few days later. "I'm worried."

"Mommy, who is this Mayura to you?" Sleipnir asked, clinging to a still female Loki's leg today.

"Not now, Sleipnir." Loki said, preoccupied. "Mayura's missing? She may have just gone off on a fushigi mystery or a vacation with her father. Or she could be sick."

"Already checked her house." Noriko's bubblegum smacked obnoxiously as she entered the room. "Look who I brought! He's a clue." She threw Freyr onto the desk, smiling sweetly.

"So...scary...Freyr will stop hunting Loki, just do not do i-i-it to Freyr any longer." He begged, shivering.

Ken sweat-dropped. "Sif knows her torture."

Noriko shrugged. "Freyr, talk, or I bring out the level three."

Freyr paled. "Yamato nadeshiko was dragged off by a blue-haired girl with judo abilities. That fiend!"

"Was she short?" Yamino asked, frowning. "With a white ribbon in her hair...?"

Freyr considered. "Y-yes, Freyr believes so."

"Angrboda." Loki sighed.

"Why would Mother do that?" Yamino questioned.

Noriko and Ken exchanged glances. "She's working with Odin because you chose Sigyn over her. There's a bit of a grudge."

Loki groaned. "Such bad timing...why'd she have to kidnap Mayura? I know Ran's still after me and someone new will probably arrive soon to kill me. Heimdall's been pretty quiet."

Freyr didn't comment.

"I will go, Loki-sama." Yamino announced, adjusting his glasses. "You focus on Ran and planning against Baldur and the others. I can handle Mother myself."

"Midgardsormr, you can't. Where's Fenrir?" Loki looked around for the wolf.

"With his sweetie!" Sleipnir explained. "Kissin' and ewwwwwwwwww..."

"Sweetie? He's on a date?" The trickster god sighed. "Okay, well, we'll have to go get him."

"That won't be necessary."

Everyone turned to the shadowy corner of the room, where Hel now stood. "Hel will go with Midgardsormr to stop Mother. Father should stay here with Narfi, Sleipnir, Sif, and the others. Fenrir is working on being a mortal and you're too busy. Let us go."

Staring at the goddess of the underworld, Loki nodded. "Be careful." Perhaps it was best that he himself wouldn't face Angrboda. She could easily kill him (he had, after all, chosen another woman over her after three children) but killing her children? He doubted she had the willpower.

The siblings vanished.

X

"I feel like we've met before." Urd said as the pair walked through the park. "I don't mean to be cliche, either. I really feel that we have."

Third dates were weird, Fenrir decided. When he had asked her name, she had ignored him and pointed out some nice food for him to eat instead. In fact, she knew him as "Fuuto".

She seemed pretty cool, though. Smelled nice, liked animals (especially swans), appreciated food...he wondered why his heart beat so much around her.

Oh, right. Human fact #6: some humans are attracted to others at random. That means they want to have babies with them. Mates. Marriage. He had to thank Sleipnir for that one later (as much as he hated to, Sleipnir wasn't so bad when he was under a spell that made him a moron).

Okay, so they had these annoying heartbeat things going on. She would _still_ flip if he told her that he was really a man-eating wolf demigod...

He brushed a hand through his thick black hair and glanced away from her. "I don't even know your name, y'know."

She frowned. She had been avoiding that one for a few days, because it was not Japanese and would give her identity away to any magical creature. But if they really knew each other, then it would just help her figure him out. If not, he wouldn't notice her godly status. So she might as well...

"Urd." She answered. "I am called Urd."

He stopped walking and stared at her. "What? _You're_ Urd?"

Urd turned to Fenrir. "So you do know me. Even though you seem powerless, I suspected that you weren't mortal. Who are you?"

Fenrir didn't answer immediately, instead he turned away. This was Urd. The Norn of the past, the one who had tried to kill his father before. But lately she had been nicer, and when they went on these dates he really enjoyed her company. There was that heartbeat thing, too. Damn human heart. Why'd it pick her? Maybe it would like someone else too.

He began to stare at a random woman in the park and sighed. Nope, nothing. He tried another and still no strong feelings. Damn it, the mortal heart only liked Urd.

But knowing who he was, would she reject him? Hate him? He was as close to demon spawn as possible. Urd was one of the strongest goddesses along with her sisters--a goddess who ruled over fate. The head Norn. They were completely different...yet...

"Fenrir. I'm Fenrir." He finally answered. "Someone--I don't know who--cast this spell on me and now I'm human. Damn it, I didn't know you were Urd."

She leaned against a tree, trying to take that one in. She had expected a fellow god or perhaps some warrior spirit who she knew, but Fenrir? Loki's son?

"What now?" He asked, snapping her to attention.

Urd sighed and the pair began to discuss their situation.

**X X X**

I know, not a particularly filling chapter but the next one has one of the battle scenes that I'm awful at (: I know that Fenrir and Urd may be slightly OOC, but I'm trying to work a weird pairing in and there are only so many ways to do it...

If you want a fast update, review!

This chapter's question is...which god do you want to see attack Loki most?

Next Chapter: Yamino and Hel attack Angrboda to save Mayura. But what happens when they cannot defeat their mother?

Later in the fic!: More gods appear with murderous intentions, Loki tells Mayura the truth, and someone betrays Loki. Will both Loki and Mayura survive the all-out assassin attack?


	8. Mother

Warnings: OCs, OOCness, an action scene (I'm terrible at these), minor language and sexual references  
Notes: My Angrboda is not the canon manga one, but instead a giantess focused on revenge. See my fic "Inferno" for more. This chapter is very creepy but I'll see you at the end of it!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 8:

Mother

The tall, muscled man with white hair glanced down at the damsel who slept in the feathery bed. She was lovely, with long eyelashes and beckoning lips... She had an aura of kindness and spirit, and a figure that some goddesses longed for.

Yet all he wished to do was take that thin neck and snap it. Remove her from the equation, for she was the ruler of his precious' heart...he could just reach and twist and she would...

He heard the sword clang as it passed his head and embedded itself into the wall.

"If you touch Sigyn again with your ghastly hands, I will remove them from your arms." The sword's thrower assured the man, who growled in response.

"I don't see why you're keeping her around. She's lovely, for sure, but you hate her just as much as I do." He said, reaching a shaky hand to touch the sleeping Mayura.

"Svadilfari, Odin has given you your human form and me my powers back in exchange for our loyalty. Do not break that vow because of personal vendettas." The goddess said, strolling towards the bed.

"We need her as bait if we wish to bring Loki back to our side, as we promised. You could kill her, but then you would become a stallion again. I'm sure you don't wish for that. My punishment would be a removal of all the godlike powers he's given me. I am, after all, a giantess at heart." She ruffled his hair and walked towards the door.

The man gritted his teeth. "But this witch took my darling from me...my beautiful mare..." He hissed, eyeing Mayura murderously.

"As she did to me!" The blue-haired goddess growled, turning to him in a fit of anger. "Do not speak as though you suffer alone! Loki was mine, mine until this monster took him from me! Even in another life, she holds his heart."

"Then let us kill her, Angrboda! In this mortal form, Sigyn is powerless. Useless! We can destroy her." Svadilfari said, approaching the giantess. "The twins are already gone, so why should she live? My son Sleipnir has lived, your children have lived, but hers haven't. Doesn't that make her weaker?" He asked, laughing insanely as he spoke.

"Did you not hear what I just said?" She cried. "Oh, this is what I get for working with a horse."

Svadilfari growled and crossed his arms at her, turning away.

"What has happened to you, Mother?" A soft voice came, and Angrboda turned to see Hel and Yamino, both standing by the unconscious Mayura. "You have never been this cruel before." Hel said sadly, twisting a strand of her hair.

"Midgardsormr...Hel..." Angrboda's eyes teared up. "My darlings, don't tell me your father has corrupted your minds. I am not cruel by any means."

"Mother...you have to give Mayura-san back." Yamino said as he picked her up.

The giantess' eyes lit up in anger. "No, never! She stole my family."

The siblings exchanged glances. "Mind control. Baldur's." Hel commented. "Shall we free her from it? We cannot approve of violence against Father's dearest."

"You'd side with her? The one who stole him...? She never did anything for you! Svadilfari, get them." Angrboda ordered, and the man's form dissolved into that of a huge stallion. "Forget what I said earlier. If Sigyn dies in the process, that's fine!" The thought that her own children would betray her for this wench sickened her. She no longer cared what Odin thought--she wanted revenge.

Yamino picked Mayura up as Svadilfari ran at them, destroying the bed. "Should I transform?" He asked Hel.

"No," she answered, backing up into a corner with Yamino behind her. "You have protected Father and Stepmother enough. I will fight Mother." Hel said, eyes glowing slightly. "Father chose Stepmother and was always happy with her. He and Mother never were as close...I have to remove the spell controlling her. You will be of no help."

"But I can't teleport home without you, either." He said, frowning.

"Hide there." Hel pointed to another corner, still emotionless. "I will fight."

Yamino glanced at his younger sister and nodded, carrying Mayura to the corner and remaining there.

"Tell me, Svadilfari, father of Sleipnir and stallion to the giants, are you afraid of fire?" Hel asked, and the stallion laughed ominously.

"Hel is, after all, the daughter of the fire god." The goddess of the underworld continued, and a circle of fire appeared around Svadilfari. The horse roared in terror and anger, kicking at the flames but they did not cease.

"Remain there while I deal with Mother." Hel ordered, and the horse could only obey.

Angrboda stared at her daughter with a large frown. "Hel, my darling, my only daughter. Why would you choose her over me?" She asked, beginning to cry.

"Hel sees how Father loves her, even if he doesn't always realize it." Hel said, looking down. "She has always been nice to Hel, and she always offered me friendship. I barely know you, Mother. Sigyn was not close to Hel's heart, but she at least tried. You were so caught up in your love of Father that Hel was brushed aside. Midgardsormr agrees."

Angrboda turned to Yamino, who just nodded in reply.

"Y-you w-would choose her over me?" Angrboda stuttered, sobbing as she spoke. "Then I may as well sever our connections! What's the point in giving you mercy when you hate me? Svadilfari, kill them! They mean nothing to me."

Yamino watched with a frown. "She's still under that spell...Hel, you have to break the spell."

The flames ceased and the stallion roared, running towards the goddess of the underworld. He reached her before she could move away, knocking her to the ground. Angrboda moved a hand, and Hel found herself tied to the bed by magical rope.

Svadilfari chuckled darkly. "Angrboda, my friend, if she means nothing...can I have her? She's awfully pretty and her powers are so lovely looking..."

As her tears evaporated into rage, Angrboda turned away. "Do as you wish."

Svadilfari did not obey immediately, instead he watched Hel's pain and the look on Yamino's face with astonishing joy.

"Mother, please snap out of it!" Hel cried.

"Please!" Yamino added. "How could you do this to Hel?"

"Odin's orders are more important to me than some stupid children who cannot even obey their mother." Angrboda hissed at the pair as she approached Yamino. "Now give Sigyn back or your powers will go to Svadilfari too. You can still earn your place back in my heart."

The green-haired demigod glanced between his mother and Mayura. Mayura was his father's faithful wife (at least in one life), genuine, and caring...but Angrboda was his mother. She gave birth to him, but in the end she did not raise him. If he recalled correctly, she hadn't even made an effort to save her children from their imprisonments.

She had never gone to the sea to rescue him, or to the underworld to rescue Hel, or to the snowy mountains to save Fenrir. It had never occurred to her--she had been too focused on earning back his father's love.

Sigyn had immediately come to visit him, despite his chains. She had offered him food (and in her ditzy way, wondered what giant snakes eat). She had tried to talk to him--although he was never too responsive, back then. Midgard had changed him for the better.

In the end, he had to choose. Betray his stepmother or his mother.

"If your love for us has to be earned, it doesn't really exist." Yamino said, looking into his mother's amber eyes and adjusting his hold on Mayura.

"Hel can't break the spell! Hel's powers are bound. Give her Stepmother. You can come back later and save her with Father. She might not really be Stepmother, anyway..." Hel said, struggling as Svadilfari began to drool at the thought of devouring her powers. "We have no proof. She could just be a mortal...please, go!" She said, smiling sadly. "Hel will be fine."

"Midgardsormr isn't as strong as you are, my daughter." Angrboda said, touching her son's cheek. "He has almost no magical abilities, therefore he's trapped. Now give her up or die." She ordered.

Mayura's eyes began to flutter open.

"She won't die immediately if you just give her up. I'll draw it out, I assure you." Angrboda continued as a sword appeared in her hand. She thrust it towards Yamino's throat, stopping an inch away. "Now, hand Sigyn over. Don't let her past kindness fool you--it was just a way to get to Loki. She's a cruel monster whose heart only has room for Loki."

"Funny," the sweet, almost seductive voice came, "I could say the same thing about you." Angrboda was thrown back by a sudden force and Mayura stood up.

Her hair had turned black, her face and height evolved, and now her eyes were violet. She held a silver sword in one gloved hand and continued to speak.

"Konnichiwa, Angrboda."

The blue-haired, enchanted giantess growled as she stood up. "You! You're dead--that girl is your reincarnation, not you! How are your powers...?"

"My soul still has the memories and powers, just not consciously." Sigyn explained as she turned to Yamino. "Are you all right?"

He just nodded, more than a little shocked.

"You shouldn't try to murder your kids. If you want to fight, fight me." She held out her sword. "I'll break that icky spell."

Angrboda accepted, rushing at the shorter goddess. Sigyn clashed swords with her but Angrboda moved too quickly, scratching the faithful goddess' cheek and leaving blood.

"Mou...I forgot that I'm terrible with swords!" Sigyn whined, waving her arms around as she bled.

Yamino sweat-dropped. They really should have noticed Sigyn's connection to Mayura earlier...or perhaps this was a sign of her current life's influence on her soul. Sigyn had always loved mysteries, but she had never used Japanese words before.

"Just another thing you're incompetent at!" Angrboda cried, striking Sigyn's sword as the loyal goddess whimpered. Angrboda moved her sword rapidly, cutting off a tip of Sigyn's hair and narrowly missing her stomach.

Sigyn gasped, looking at her hair. "That's so mean!" She wailed. "A girl's hair is her life! You have to be punished now, Angrboda. This is the last straw!"

The blue-haired giantess cackled at her. "You try!" The sword punctured Sigyn's stomach this time, but not too deeply.

"Sigyn, please do not fight her if you are unable!" Yamino said, fearing for his stepmother's life. He had forgotten about her battling inabilities.

"Oh! I can use magic." Sigyn remembered, clapping her hands together as she dropped the sword. She shouted something in the language of the gods, and Angrboda flew across the room again, hitting a wall.

"Now for you, Mister Ed!" Sigyn grinned madly, snapping her fingers as the rope fell off Hel, freeing her. Svadilfari hissed at the goddess, and she made a hand motion. "I'm going to remove the evil in you now, Svadilfari." She let her palm face him. "Purify!"

Dark aura rushed away from the stallion and he decreased in size, becoming a normal and confused horse without speech capabilities.

"Now to purify you, Angrbo--" Sigyn turned back to the mistress, but she had vanished.

Yamino, Hel, and Sigyn looked around but Angrboda was gone.

"Japan?" Sigyn suggested with a tired smile. "For Svadilfari, too. Give 'im a nice field, Hel."

The goddess of the underworld nodded, getting off the bed and approaching the others. With a flash, they left Asgard in favor of the cozy mansion.

X

"Mommyyyyyyyyyyyyyy." Sleipnir was whining again as he paced. "Fenrir's still not back."

"Neither is Yamino or Hel." Ken added, stretching Ecchan's face.

"Punnyan, worried." Ecchan commented with a pout.

The blonde god--currently goddess--groaned and buried her face in her hands. "STOP. CALLING. ME. MOMMY. We can't stop Ran or Baldur if I'm a girl. Even if I do have a nice figure."

Ken sweat-dropped at that.

"Loki-sama, we're home." Yamino said, wandering into the room. "We were unable to stop her, but we brought back Sleipnir's father."

The blonde demigod gasped. "DADDY!" He cried, running into the kitchen to search for the stallion (although he, much to the horse's disappointment, wasn't there).

Hel entered as well. "Father, we have a surprise for you." She added, glancing at Yamino. "Though we could not stop Mother, we had some help."

Looking up at her children with an expression that said nothing could improve her mood, Loki sighed. "From?"

"S-sigyn..." Ken stuttered as Sigyn entered the room.

She gasped. "KYAA! Narfi!" She gave him a large glomp of a hug and continued making high-pitched noises before letting him go to glance him over. "Have you gathered five hundred mysteries yet?"

Everyone sweat-dropped.

"712, actually." Ken said, grinning.

"Yay! You'll have to share them with me later!" Sigyn was giddy with excitement. "Oh, hundreds of fushigi mysteries..." She then turned to Loki and blinked. "Loki..."

"Sigyn...I thought you were dead." Loki said, standing up.

"Something's different about you! New haircut?" Sigyn asked, looking confused.

The entire group sighed.

"A spell." Loki said, glancing down at her current form. "Sigyn, how are you here?"

"My memories and powers exist in the subconscious part of Mayura's mind. I can temporarily allow the old memories to take over if I'm in hopeless danger, but I can't stay this way long. You'll have to free my memories the regular way." She explained, taking Loki's hands into hers.

"How?" Someone whispered.

"By finding me over five hundred fushigi mysteries! Or you could just unlock them by telling her--me--the truth." Sigyn replied.

"No matter who I am, I hang on to my love of you, so don't let me down. I know you fell for Mayura even before you knew about me. And it's not cheating 'cause it's me!" She continued, smiling sweetly. "I promise we'll meet again." With that, she kissed Loki and faded away.

Mayura blinked and shrieked, releasing the kiss. "Kyaa, I am so sor--" She glanced at her victim and turned fifty shades of red. "M-ma'am...I am so s-sorry..." She stammered, incredibly confused.

She looked around the room, noting all the stares directed at her. "Um...are you all Loki-kun's family?" She asked, a bead of sweat running down her cheek. "Ken-san, what are you doing here?"

Ken just smiled and took her hand. "I'll take you home, Mayura-san." He said, leading her out the door with a nod to his father.

Loki sighed sadly then turned to Hel and Yamino. "Thank you two. Are you all right? Angrboda didn't hurt you, did she?"

"No, Loki-sama, we're fine." Yamino said. "But until we can break Odin's spell, it's dangerous to approach her. She seems to have lost her mind, consumed by hatred for Sigyn."

Hel nodded. "Don't worry, Father, next time we see Mother, we'll save her. Definitely!" With a smile, she vanished.

Sleipnir entered the room again, hunched over. "I can't find Daddy..." He whined, near tears.

"I obviously need a stronger antidote for the spell...the one I made earlier didn't last long." Yamino muttered to himself, referring to the reverted condition of his half-brother. "Loki-sama, shall I start on that?"

"No..." Loki said, glancing between the two. "You two should get some sleep. I'll go to bed as well, as soon as Fenrir comes home."

Ecchan narrowed her eyes righteously. "Ecchan will go check on Fenrir! Punyann, Loki-tama can sleep." She said, and she probably would have pumped her fist into the air if she had one.

The pink blob floated out the window in search of the wolf.

"Ecchan!" Loki watched her go and laughed slightly. "No stopping her...she's a determined little thing."

"Loki-sama, Ecchan is right. You need sleep after all the chaos you've gone through. We can worry about Ran and Baldur in the morning. Ecchan can find Fenrir and will alert us if something has gone wrong." Yamino put his hands on his hips. "If you don't rest, Loki-sama, you won't be prepared for tomorrow!"

Sleipnir nodded rapidly. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! Mommy needs her beauty sleep."

Loki glanced between the two and stood up, heading for bed. "Such stubborn children..." She muttered, but didn't seem too upset as she walked towards her room.

Yamino watched her go and began to clean up the area so it would be in good shape for the morning. Sleipnir watched him.

"Midgardsormrrrrr..." He whispered. "What do you think Fenny's doing?"

"Fenrir is probably on another date. He's been getting along well with Ur--" Yamino froze. He couldn't tell anyone exactly who the mystery date was. His father would not be happy if news got back to him about that.

"Ur? That's a city in Sumer!" Sleipnir said excitedly. "Dating a city? Fun, I wanna date a city! Can I, huh? Can I, huh?"

"No, she's a girl. Named...Urameshi Yue." Yamino said, giving him the first Japanese name he could think of.

"Aw, it'd be more fun if she were a city." Sleipnir grumbled.

Yamino twitched, wondering how long he would have to deal with the child version of his eldest brother...

**X X X**

Okay, well, there's one arc down! The upcoming chapters should be longer and I have a new rule in effect--I update at 5 reviews. As soon as it hits 47, I'll update. Fair?

Chapter question: Okay, so last time I told you that someone's going to betray Loki. Who do you think it is?

I'm happy to say that I'm almost done writing the entire fic! 0.0 I know, I'm shocked too!

I'm very bad at battle scenes so I hope that one made sense. I've tried to explain everything to the best of my ability but some of the fic is confusing.

Lots of OCs, right? I try to write them so they're in Kinoshita's style but OCs are OCs...now I know that the list of gods is ever-expanding and may get confusing. I was going to wait until later for a separate chapter that gives you a description/identity for all the gods in this fic, but if you review and mention that you're /already/ confused, I'll put it up with the next chapter.

Speaking of which...

Next chapter!: An extra long one! A new assassin sets his sights on Narugami, Urd discusses something with Loki, and Mayura confesses her love!


	9. Confessions of a Detective

Warnings: OCs, OOCness (especially in this chapter), lack of spellcheck, fluff, etc.  
Notes: Big MayuLoki chapter! Humor at the start, fluff at the end. We're getting intense. :D

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 9:

Confessions of a Detective

Loki awoke the next day to a slap on the face. "Huh?" She asked, still female from the spell. "Why are you waking me up, Sif?" She asked, glaring at the goddess wife of Thor.

Noriko, breathing heavily and looking more than a little distressed, hissed in reply. "Loki, Tyr has arrived and is trying to kill us! You slept while we ran and I've been trying to wake you up but it's like knocking down a barn with a potato chip!"

Awake now, Loki tried to digest what Noriko had said. "Tyr? The god of combat and heroics? He was always nice to me..."

"Well, he kinda hates you, considering how Fenrir bit off his hand years ago." Noriko said, face slumping.

Loki paused to consider before getting that paternal look. "But he was just a wittle baby and it was really cute...he didn't mean to..."

"Well, he doesn't think it was cute. But the point is, he hates you and, with his battle skills, is out hunting you. Fortunately, he is very honorable so we're safe." Noriko said, puffing out her chest proudly.

"Why are we saf--" Loki looked around and her eyes widened. "We're in a women's bath house?!" She cried, noting the changing area they were currently sitting in. Lockers lined the walls but they were on a bench right now.

The golden-haired goddess nodded. "Yep! You know Tyr won't come anywhere where there are naked women. Honor and stuff."

"Women..." Depressed about Odin's maternal curse, Loki slumped over. "Sif, if we're here, who's fighting Tyr?"

Noriko sighed. "Who do you think?"

X

CLANG! Mjollnir hit the golden sword in a clash of power.

Narugami jumped back as his opponent calculated.

Tyr was a tall man with a thin beard that went completely around his face like a lion's mane, messy red hair, a thin physique despite his strength, and of course one hand. His brown eyes were filled to the brim with bloodlust. He loved the battle.

"Thor, we should fight more often..." Tyr noted, glancing his blade over. "You are the only opponent whose strength rivals mine. The others fall like butter." He grinned darkly.

"Is Tyr under mind control?" Yamino wondered out loud, watching Narugami fight. He had been ordered not to interfere--Narugami wanted practice.

Ken, from his position ten yards away from the fight beside Yamino, shook his head. "Nah, he's always like this. Dad used to say that all the other gods laughed at his lame war monologues when he wasn't looking. It's true. Plus, he's always hated Loki for the hand incident."

Yamino sweat-dropped. "Yes, that would do it...oh, by 'dad', you meant Bragi, right?" He remembered his half-brother's adopted parents.

Ken smiled sadly. "Sorry, I can't come to think of Loki as anything but gene donation. I had a little longer with Mom, and her spirit kept popping up to talk, but I've only known Loki for a little whi-"

"Shut up, you are interrupting my monologue!" Tyr shouted at the pair. "Filthy spectators can die after you, Thor."

A crowd was beginning to gather--they were in the middle of the street, after all--and Narugami frowned. Loki hated exposure. But a fight with Tyr...it was so tempting. Fights with Tyr were epic, and could last for days. Forget it, he would just risk exposure. He began to run at Tyr with his sword.

"Enough!" Someone ordered, and Narugami went flying across the street as did Tyr.

Time seemed to still for the mortals. None of them were moving even slightly, frozen in their current positions.

"Rynkar..." Ken said, remembering.

"Who?" Yamino could not recall all his relatives' names anymore.

"The god of time, he doesn't appear often because he works with the Norns. Rynkar, what's wrong?" Ken elaborated.

The hooded figure appeared, floating above the group. "You must not expose yourselves to the people of Midgard. You may fight if you wish, but if Asgard and its citizens are shown to the mortal realm for who we are, time could still itself." He explained in a booming voice.

"Odin has authority over you!" Tyr growled at him. "Stop this!"

"Odin does have authority...if he can find me." Rynkar replied, his grin nearly visible underneath the cloak.

"He can find anyone--anywhere!" Tyr said. "Now come down and let me destroy you."

"Can he find me in the time stream?" Rynkar wondered out loud, vanishing as time began again on Midgard. The crowd went on about their day, apparently forgetting what they had already seen.

"Man, he's cool! So mysterious..." Ken said, eyes glittering.

Yamino stared. If he ever needed proof that Ken and Mayura were related, this would be it...

Tyr growled. "We shall continue this later, Thor!" He, apparently not interested in upsetting Rynkar, ran into a public bathroom and vanished.

Narugami sighed. "Good, because I need to get back to my job at the pet store...goodbye, Megane!" He saluted to Yamino and rushed off to his job.

"He doesn't know you're Midgardsormr, does he?" Ken asked with a sweat-drop.

"No...now where did Loki-sama go?" Yamino wondered, looking around. "Noriko-san said she would take him somewhere safe..."

X

"Then," she said, her face turning slightly red with anger, "he just vanished again! I don't know what's wrong with Loki-kun lately. He never has time for me anymore." Mayura crossed her arms. "Do you know, Kagome-san?"

Noriko and Loki exchanged glances. How had they gotten into this? Oh yes...

When they decided to hide out in the women's bath, they had discovered that Mayura was there! After all, she had explained, her father had broken the heater for her water at home. She had noticed her kissing victim from the previous night (aka Loki) and asked for her name.

Using all her knowledge of Midgard, Noriko summoned the name of a character from some anime! She was quite impressed with herself. Loki was not as thrilled...although she didn't mind the naked women.

Much to Noriko's amusement, Loki had become flustered when she noticed that Mayura was only wearing a towel. The pink-haired girl had changed back into her clothes and now the three were walking down the street.

"Loki-kun is probably very busy with his cases." Loki suggested, slightly flattered that Mayura was so worried and upset.

"No, he's hiding something from me." Mayura decided and the other two nearly jumped.

The pink-haired detective calculated for a moment before gasping. "I know what to do! I'm going to summon Kami-sama..."

Loki blinked. "How?"

"This nice blonde girl offered to help me if I wanted to! She says I won fair and square. I don't know what that means, but I think she's a fortune teller."

_Skuld!_

"Good evening, Loki-sama." The trio practically flew into the air this time. The mellow, smooth speaker was standing behind them with her arms crossed.

"Loki-kun? Where?" Mayura looked around, confused. Urd stared at her before snapping her fingers. Mayura fell unconscious into Loki's arms.

"Hey." Loki said, glaring at the shorter girl. "Urd, what are you doing here?"

Noriko went into a battle stance.

"I'm not going to fight you. We're on your side now, remember?" Urd asked with a slight sigh. "Loki-sama, I came to tell you something important. About your son."

"Vali?" The god (still currently goddess) of fire perked up. "Really?"

"No, Fenrir." Urd said, shaking her head. "I am not at liberty to discuss Vali right now."

"What happened to Fenrir?" Loki asked. "Sif, did he come home...?"

Noriko shook her head.

"No, he was with me last night. I would just like to say..." Urd took a deep breath before sitting on the ground in a traditional position. She bowed to Loki. "I look forward to being your daughter-in-law in a few months' time, Loki-sama."

Noriko and Loki both froze, before demanding an explanation, which Urd reluctantly gave them.

X

At the agency, a finally young boy Loki sat at his desk, trying to accept the situation. "Engaged...how? Yamino-san, did you know about this?"

Narugami, Noriko, Ken, Yamino, Fenrir, Urd and Ecchan were all sitting or standing (or in Ecchan's case, floating) in the study. Mayura was draped across one couch, still knocked out by a spell.

"Er...well...I'm sorry, Master Loki." Yamino confessed. "Skuld said that the red string of fate has chosen for Brother and Urd to wed."

"It was unexpected for us." Urd agreed, sitting beside the still human Fenrir. "We didn't even recognize each other at first...but we've discussed it and decided that we've fallen for each other, despite the unlikely circumstances."

"Aw, they're so in love...remember when we were mushy lovebirds who were just dating?" Noriko asked, turning to her husband of many centuries.

The god of thunder wrinkled his nose in response. "We weren't 'mushy'." Narugami answered.

She rolled her eyes. "Sure..."

"We had an honorable and noble courting period. There was no dating involved."

Noriko punched him in reply. "You are so unromantic, Thor!"

Watching the pair fight, Ken turned to Fenrir. "So you wanted this engagement too?"

The currently human wolf paused, considering. "Well, yeah...I dunno, human hearts are weird. I can't control how I feel." He shrugged.

"Does this mean you won't be attempting murder again?" Someone asked, and the entire group jumped as Sleipnir entered.

"I...Is he...?" Loki asked, glancing at Yamino, who nodded.

"The spell is broken...again. Midgardsormr gave me a stronger antidote." The blonde demigod explained with a sigh. "I'm back to my normal personality. Now, I assume the upcoming nuptials mean no hunting, correct?"

Urd nodded. "We're no longer working for Odin. We're working at the fortune tellers' tent right now but my sisters wish to get regular Midgard jobs. Verdandi wants to be a pharmacist, and Skuld wants to be a game show hostess."

Loki sweat-dropped, as did Yamino and Ken. "Right..." The trickster god decided that this was a good thing. "Well, if it makes my darling son happy, I'm happy too." He gave them a warm smile.

"Daddy!" Fenrir glomped his father. "Thank you so much..."

"As heartwarming as this is, I have to go do homework and call Mom." Ken said, standing up. Noticing everyone's confused glances, he elaborated. "Idunn. I need to call Idunn." With that, he left the mansion.

"What time is it anyway? It's not late, right?" Narugami wondered, looking at his watch. "Oh, it's about time for my job at the zoo! I'll be the best cleaner they've ever had! Later, Loki!"

"Thor, wait, I want to talk to you--" Noriko and Narugami exited together as he raved about his excellent new job.

"Well, it's certainly quieter without them." Yamino commented, picking something dirty up from the floor.

Sleipnir nodded. "Quiet is what Mother needs now..."

Fenrir and Urd exchanged glances. "Oh, that reminds me. We were thinking of taking a trip together. So we can have some time together to make sure that we really want to marry each other." Urd told Loki. "Is that all right? My sisters can still assist you if you need help in defeating Ran, Tyr, Baldur, Odin, or Hod."

"Hod? The god of winter is coming?" Sleipnir frowned. "I hate that guy...he's Baldur's brother and he's annoying."

"Skuld claims that he is the one who will come to you next. Then a lovely vision of someone you care for will appear...she won't tell me whom she means by that." The blonde Norn tapped her lip.

Loki tried to process this new information before nodding. "You two can go. There are enough gods here to help me defeat the others. We have a nice set of allies."

"A family." Yamino corrected his father.

Loki couldn't help but to smile.

"Thank you, daddy." Fenrir said sweetly, taking Urd's hand. "We'll be back soon. I promise! Send Sleepy after us if there's a problem." He gestured to Sleipnir and the couple left the mansion.

"Sleepy?" Sleipnir sighed. "I'm sorry, Mother, but I loathe that disgusting carnivore..."

Ignoring the comment, Loki stood up and approached the couch where Mayura was sleeping. He sat on the table next to the couch, examining her. "Sigyn's reincarnation..."

His sons watched until Yamino gestured to Sleipnir that they should leave. They silently went upstairs to give Loki privacy.

"Why didn't I notice before? They talk the same way and look the same. They smile the same way and I--" Loki paused, considering what he was about to say. But there was no one around, no one to hear his deepest secret. "Sigyn was the only woman I ever loved...I love my kids, and Angrboda has a place in my heart. But it wasn't love."

He smiled sadly. "I've had trouble admitting it, because I've always had such strong feelings for Sigyn. But with the knowledge that this isn't a betrayal...I can finally confess. Past wife or not, I'm in love with Mayura. I love you, you silly mortal girl." He almost laughed--it felt so good to tell himself the truth.

"You're ditzy, you're random, you're insane...but you're beautiful, loyal, caring, kind, fun...you're not exactly who Sigyn was, either. You're you, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

With this, the prince leaned down to kiss the sleeping beauty on her lips. Mayura's eyes opened slowly and she glanced up at Loki. "Loki-kun..." She whispered. "Can I tell you something?"

Now that she was awake, the shields had to return. He was a god again and she was a mortal. He had children and problems and she didn't have powers, memories, or the knowledge of the truth. Loki just nodded, wondering if she would be angry with him for kissing her.

Mayura took a deep breath and sat up. "I know you're a little kid, but you do things that confuse me."

"What do you mean?" Was he allowed to hope?

"Well, you just kissed me...you vanish mysteriously and you seem to know more about the fushigi mysteries than anyone else. You're supposed to be much younger than I am, but you act so much older and wiser... I get jealous when girls admire you and when you flirt..."

She blushed. "Loki-kun, you shouldn't kiss older women! It messes up our feelings--" She was interrupted as he kissed her again, pulling her close.

She tried resisting but after a few seconds realized that she didn't want to. Thus the kiss continued.

Eventually they broke away from each other, each staring back at the other in a mixture of confusion, desire, and love.

Mayura eventually cleared her throat. "Loki-kun, what does this mean?" She whispered, almost afraid to ask.

He let his bangs fall into his eyes and she wondered if she had done something wrong. Had this been a mistake of Loki's? Was he sleep-kissing? Was this revenge for kissing his cousin Kagome? Why would Loki be mad about--

"...your Kami-sama."

She snapped back to attention, pink hair falling into her eyes. Mayura brushed it aside and swallowed. "What, Loki-kun? I didn't hear you."

With a scared look in his eyes, he repeated himself. "I'm your Kami-sama. The god you met in the park...I am that god. I'm not a child."

Reality broke, splattering all over Mayura's perspective. "How? Loki-kun...are you really?"

Loki just nodded, looking into his lap. "There is so much to my story...I understand if you want to just leave. You have a right to be angry...I've been lying to you. Tricking you, keeping your precious mysteries from you. I've been keeping secrets about you from you..."

Mayura's eyes began to water as she realized that he wasn't lying. Something inside her knew that it was the truth, the answer to the most fushigi mystery of all. Loki was her Kami-sama, not a child. Loki was a handsome god.

She calmly inched closer to him and leaned in. He wondered if she planned to kiss him, and was answered with a...

SLAP!

Tears blurring her vision, Mayura shook her head. "Loki-kun is an idiot! Why wouldn't I want to hear about the fushigi mysteries? I want to hear the truth from Loki-kun. Just don't...show me Kami-sama yet." She could take a magical truth, but seeing any transformations would be too much right now. She needed an explanation.

Rubbing his sore cheek, Loki nodded. "Okay, but don't freak out..."

**X X X**

Ah, another chapter over. I can't believe how quickly I got my five reviews 0.0 Okay, lol! I had to edit this pretty quickly so forgive anything off. There was a ton of fluff in this chapter, but it won't last long. Loki may have found his princess, but now he has to make sure she survives Ragnarok...

Since the five review thing worked so well, let's do this--I'll update either a week from today or when it hits 56 reviews. Whichever comes first.

Chapter poll...again...since no one answered (sob): Who do you think is the one to betray Loki?

Additional poll: how would you like to see this fic end? I haven't gotten to the end quite yet and I'm open to suggestions.

Next chapter preview (quote style):

_"Loki-kun told me the truth."_

_"She may have been Sigyn once, but she's just a mortal now."_

_"L-loki..." He said, recognizing the murderous gaze. "We have a prob--"_

end the ninth


	10. A Meeting with the Past

Warnings: OOCness, OCs (if you haven't read the fic so far, you'll want to), lack of spellcheck, etc.  
Notes: This is a really important chapter on quite a few levels but not as heavy as the upcoming ones. Please enjoy, I'll see you at the end!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 10:

A Meeting with the Past

Yamino descended the stairs the next morning with a concerned look on his face. His father hadn't stayed up all night, right? He hadn't seen Loki-sama in bed...

He entered the study, only to find Loki asleep on the floor and Mayura sleeping on the couch.

"Loki-sama..." Had the god fallen asleep staring at Mayura's unconscious form?

Mayura sat up slowly, woken by his noise.

"Ah, Mayura-san, I didn't mean to wake you up..." Yamino said, feeling guilty as the pink-haired girl stood up and walked over to him.

"Yamino-san, did someone call my dad?" She asked.

Misao Daidouji had indeed been called--by Noriko, fortunately. If he had known that his daughter was staying with Loki, he would have burst a vein.

Yamino was brushed out of the image of Misao wrestling his father by Mayura's stare. "Mayura-san?"

She cleared her throat and took his hand, leading them into the kitchen so they wouldn't disturb Loki. "Loki-kun told me the truth." She said softly.

He blinked. "What?"

"That you're his son and so is Fenrir and Ken...and also that I'm his wife, from my last life."

Yamino changed colors. "L-loki-sama said what...?"

"And I didn't want to believe him, but I had this voice inside that said everything was true, that Loki-kun was right." Mayura said, closing her eyes as she remembered. "It's very mysterious, the whole situation."

Yamino laughed nervously and sighed. "What exactly did he say...?"

X

"So irresponsible..."

It was three hours later and Yamino was pouring tea for Loki as Mayura watched on, sipping her own cup. Sleipnir was pacing and lecturing his mother.

"She may have been Sigyn once, but she's just a mortal now." The blonde demigod said, pounding a hand on Loki's desk. "How can you expect her to handle this? What if someone attacks her?"

Nervously, Mayura shifted in her seat on the couch. "Loki-kun, someone's going to attack me?"

Glaring at his eldest child, Loki shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Mayura. You'll be fine. I know what I'm doing, Sleipnir, you don't need to lecture me."

Mayura frowned, standing up and approaching the desk. "Loki-kun, if someone does attack, how will I defend myself?"

Loki opened his mouth to reply but the sound of someone rushing in stopped him. "Loki! Mom sent me a magic mirror!" Ken said, holding a mirror with a golden handle in one hand. "It'll let--" He froze, realizing that Mayura was present.

He cleared his throat. "It'll let me win the costume contest."

Sleipnir rolled his eyes and Loki sighed. "I already told Mayura the entire truth. You don't need to worry about her finding out anymore."

"Mou, I know the truth but I'm super confused." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I think it's safe to say that this is the most fushigi mystery ever."

Ken sweat-dropped slightly at her casual attitude. "Okay, well, I guess the mirror Mom--Idunn--sent me will really come in handy now that you know about Sigyn."

Mayura's brow furrowed. "Is that Narugami-kun's wife or my past life?"

"My mother...your past life." Ken clarified and Mayura nodded thoughtfully.

Her eyes widened. "Ooh, does it take me to the past? I wanna go to the past!" She tried to look in the mirror but Ken pulled it away.

"No! It lets you talk to someone who is deceased. You can talk to Sigyn with it."

Mayura's eyes widened even more and she glanced at Loki. "Really?"

He nodded. "I trust Idunn." Still, this was a little awkward. Mayura seemed to be taking it well, though.

She squealed and reached out for the mysterious mirror but Ken pulled it away. "Wait! You have to be careful with this. If you turn it upside down so the handle is up, whoever it's facing will be trapped inside the mirror." He turned the mirror towards a wall and demonstrated the motion.

She nodded, shaking with excitement. "I get to meet her! I get to meet her!"

She held the mirror straight out and took a deep breath, staring at her reflection. "Show me the past!" She ordered, and the mirror did nothing.

Ken sighed. "You have to specify Sigyn."

Mayura blinked. "Oh..." She turned to the mirror. "I want to see Sigyn."

Her reflection in the small mirror blurred and Sigyn's violet eyes blinked at her own. "Kyaa! It worked." Mayura said. "Wow." The reality had just reached her with Sigyn's appearance, similar to her own but more mature and worldly.

"We've never met! I mean, you're me so we have." Sigyn said in the mirror, smiling wide. "I'm so happy that Loki told you--me--us the truth."

Mayura couldn't resist smiling back.

Sigyn twisted a strand of hair around her finger. "Mayura, you're going to be seeing lots of new fushigi mysteries! Make sure to check out Ken's list too. You might be in danger sometimes but my powers will resurface if necessary."

Mayura frowned, glancing at Loki then back at the mirror. "Loki-kun will help too."

"Hm..." Sigyn said, wondering what wisdom she could offer her reincarnation. "Oh." She closed her eyes and began to speak in a lower tone so the others couldn't hear her.

"In my life, I loved Loki. We had a wonderful family...and we still do. Except I'm no longer in it." The black-haired goddess opened her eyes and met Mayura's gaze. "You're my reincarnation, Mayura, but you're not me. I liked mysteries when I was alive, but I didn't have the wild fascination you do. That's something you've come up with yourself that's influenced _me_."

She smiled sweetly. "Loki didn't fall for you because you're my reincarnation. It was just an after-effect, a nice coincidence. He fell for you because you're the cutest detective around."

Mayura giggled at this, glancing at Loki. The detective raised an eyebrow in reply, unable to hear Sigyn's quiet words.

"So just enjoy your new family, the magic, the adventure...the mysteries. I don't have to say goodbye, because I'm always with you." Sigyn gave a slight wave and the mirror went blank.

Mayura placed the mirror on the coffee table and leaned back on the couch. "Loki-kun, she's really nice. I'm glad I was such a good person in my last life."

Yamino smiled, glad that the event was over. "I think I'm going to bake something."

Sleipnir, still upset about the situation, sighed. "Fine. I'll help. Hey, where did you put my father anyway?" He asked, following Yamino into the kitchen.

Ken brushed a hand through his hair. "You're a good person in this life, too. I know it must be hard for you but you're taking everything well."

Mayura blinked up at him, trying to digest that Ken was her son (from a past life). "Loki-kun has always been a weird kid, so this doesn't surprise me as much as I would've thought..." She said, crossing her arms. "Now, if Loki-kun becomes Kami-sama...I'm not ready for that."

Loki frowned. "Will you ever be?"

The pink-haired detective smiled in response. "Of course, Loki-kun! Just give me some time to let the fushigi mystery soak in." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm going to go home." She said, and left the agency before anyone could stop her.

"I shouldn't have told her." Loki said, slumping over as he realized how confused Mayura had to be.

Ken stared at the concerned god and couldn't resist a smile. "She deserved to know. Don't worry, she'll be fine."

Loki sighed. "I hope so..."

Sleipnir wandered into the room and glanced around. "She left?"

Ken nodded.

X

In Asgard, the gods sat together watching. "It is time for you to wake up. Ran, use the siren's song to bring back his true personality." Odin whispered darkly.

Ran smirked and opened her mouth slightly, singing a dark song of mourning in a language that neither gods nor mortals could comprehend. The song to break the spell. The song of release...

X

Sleipnir rubbed his head, as if he were getting a sudden headache. "Well, it's about time she left. We need to discuss how this will effect Odin's plan--" He froze, his eyes widening as Ran's song echoed in his head. They darkened quickly and he turned to glare at Ken.

"L-loki..." Ken said, recognizing the murderous gaze. "We have a prob--"

Sleipnir rushed at Ken and before he could explain the situation to Loki, he had been hurled through the window and was outside on the ground.

"What's going on?" Loki asked, watching his youngest son fly by his head.

"No more games." Sleipnir said, jumping over the god of fire and through the window. He landed on the lawn beside Ken.

Loki grumbled and ran outside through the mansion itself, only to see Sleipnir attempting to strangle Ken.

"Hello, Mummy, ready to play?" The demigod asked, his lips curling into a smile as he released his younger brother.

**X X X**

Wow, bet you weren't expecting that one! Or maybe you were. ;D Okay, I updated a little early because I have SO many chapters left for you guys lol! I wasn't going to include a certain plot point (this is later in the fic) but I needed the filler/backstory. I'm currently writing the big battle scenes...I'm so happy with how it's coming, I know you'll really enjoy the upcoming chapters.

(As usual,) I'll update at 58 reviews OR whenever I feel like it (won't be more than a week or eight days). There's some really awesome stuff coming up that I want you guys to see so please review!

Chapter poll: Is Sleipnir the only spy in Loki's midst? Is Sleipnir really evil?

Next chapter preview:

_"Narfi deserved it!"_

_"You're my son too."_

_"I came by because I heard about Sleipnir."_

end the tenth


	11. Loss and Gain

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, ninjaness, etc. Make sure you're familiar with what's been going on before reading this!  
Notes: Sorry about the battle scene bleckyness. D: Not my strongest point...

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 11:

Loss and Gain

Sleipnir was much faster than Loki had ever anticipated, and he found himself constantly dodging punches and kicks from his son. He could barely follow the demigod's movements and was swinging his staff blindly around the yard, hoping to hit Sleipnir hard enough to stop him.

"Where did this come from? Why are you after me now? I thought you were happy here!" Loki said, confused again.

"I had almost forgotten my master's orders. Odin wishes only for your death, Loki, and I shall grant him it. Why would I give my loyalty to you? You left me alone for centuries. Odin treated me like a servant, but he at least acknowledged me." Sleipnir said, slowing down enough that his mother could see him.

Loki bit his lip. "Sleipnir, I did bad things in the past and made mistakes. I know that. I'm trying to make up for it now. Can't we start over?"

Sleipnir laughed insanely. "You fail to remember that I am not like you. You, so humanlike in your form...your darling twins, so lovely in their perfect shapes. Why are they gods and I am only half? Because I am an animal. I lack the ability to forgive." His form shifted suddenly and the great horse with multiple legs finally showed his true form.

Staring at the golden stallion, Ken edged away. "I'm a god because both of my parents were. Not because I'm more human than you are. Sleipnir..."

"You would have less love for me if you knew that I was the one to kill your brother." The grand horse said, red eyes glowing. "I killed Vali by stomping him to death. In fact, perhaps I will let you go the same way."

Loki's eyes widened. Vali...killed by Sleipnir? His eldest son had killed one of his twins? He fell to the ground, trying to comprehend it all.

Sleipnir rushed at Ken with amazing speed. The black-haired god was unable to dodge the fast stallion, and a single ear-piercing scream rang throughout the city.

When Loki finally looked up, he saw a bloody Ken on the ground. Sleipnir was breathing heavily, eyes wide. "Narfi deserved it!"

His eyes became a pale blue. "Nana! We hurt Nana!"

He grimaced in pain as his eyes shifted to a brown. "I've done it again...I cannot..."

"Ken!" Loki ran over to his youngest son while Sleipnir fought his inner demons. "Get up. You're okay, Ken. You're fine. You have to live for Vali. Come on...for Mayura."

He picked up Ken's hand and dropped it again. No pulse.

Sleipnir's eyes finally settled on the bloody red and he turned to Loki. "Now that the good in me has left, it is time to complete the job. I've already taken down Vali and Narfi, now to just add you to my collection..."

Loki stood up, holding back tears. "Sleipnir...how could you? You're the oldest! You're supposed to protect your other siblings. You killed him! You killed Narfi!" He began to openly cry. "I was just starting to know him, too."

Sleipnir laughed maniacally. "Yes, it was fun to kill him. Even more fun than killing Vali..."

Loki growled in anger, slashing his staff at Sleipnir and screaming spells.

The stallion ran around the yard, dodging everything aimed at him. "I'm too fast for you, Loki! Give up and join your family. Both of your babies are dead and soon the older ones will be too."

"You're my son too." Loki said, glaring through his tears.

"Unfortunately that's true. That's okay, though, I'll be the only one to survive." The demigod raced at Loki, ready to finish him off.

Could he really kill one son to save his other children? Could he abandon Sleipnir again? Could he let the twins go unavenged?

Suddenly the shadows around the house began to shift, forming a black wall between Sleipnir and Loki.

It was solid and thick, and though Sleipnir ran at it, he could not break through.

Sleipnir neighed angrily at the wall before cursing Loki and vanishing. "I'll return for your life!"

Loki stared at the wall, confused and shocked.

"Wow, this time it was pretty good. I haven't made a shadow clone this good since the time Mom made me peel apples for three days..."

Loki turned around to see Ken looking down at his own corpse.

"Yep, I'm getting better at it." His son said, scratching his head. "Oops, missed an eyebrow. You know, I could totally be a ninja."

"Ken..." Loki ran to him and embraced him. "I thought you were dead."

Ken shook his head. "Nah. Remember how I told you I had some magical abilities? I can do things with darkness--make walls and other solid objects. To escape chores and punishments, I figured out how to make clones of myself from shadows...they're getting better, really. This is a fake." He nudged the corpse with his toe and it vanished. The wall fell into darkness as well.

"Amazing..." Loki was feeling a mixture of relief, pride, and fear. "Ken, that's amazing." He continued hugging his son, who blushed slightly.

"T-thanks. I guess we lost Sleipnir, huh?"

The pair glanced at where the stallion had just been.

"Not forever." Loki hoped. "We can save him, I think. He's still good on the inside. It seemed like it wanted to come out, too." He remembered Sleipnir's inner battle.

Ken nodded. "Yeah..."

"Ken, I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"Vali. Is Vali dead? Did Sleipnir really kill Vali? I know you know where he is. You two are connected, right? Please just tell me the truth." Loki wanted to know so badly...

Ken had to know something about his brother's current state. He feigned ignorance whenever Loki asked, but twins had a natural connection and it seemed odd that Ken was so calm when discussing Vali...if he were really in the dark, he would have been more concerned. He had to know something about his brother.

Ken took a deep breath and reluctantly replied. "Vali's alive. I know where he is...we talk frequently. I don't think he wants to join us, though."

"I see..." Loki was slightly hurt. "He doesn't." Still, Vali was _alive_. Probably on Midgard, too. Sleipnir wasn't a murderer and Vali was safe. Things would work out because all his children were alive. His family would be fine.

"Actually, I do." Both Ken and Loki turned to the source of the new voice and gasped slightly.

Strolling in from the street, the handsome blue-eyed blonde boy approached the pair in Loki's backyard. "I came by because I heard about Sleipnir."

Ken stared at him. "How?"

The other boy smiled. "Loki's right. You and I are connected, Narfi. After hearing your scream, I've decided to join our father. It seems safer. I don't think I could defend myself against Sleipnir."

"Vali...?" Loki asked, hoping he was right. "But everyone says--"

"I escaped Sleipnir's attack that night. Fell to Midgard, was adopted into a lovely family of takoyaki merchants." The boy mused. "They named me Minoru but I am Vali."

Loki stared, trying to take the whole situation in. Finally, he hugged the final missing member of his family.

They had lost Sleipnir but found Vali. Things would be okay. Everything would work out. All of his children were alive, and that was the only thing that mattered.

Ken, however, watched the heartwarming scene with an expression of disgust.

**X X X**

Color here with good news! I've finished writing AOAA and this update is my gift to you in celebration of the fic's completion. It still has to be uploaded, and I have some mixed news about the length.

A) This is the fic's turning point. Things will be more confusing and a little darker after this, but I promise everything will be explained in the end.  
B) Because some of the chapters are shortish and there's quite a bit more to go, we're not even halfway through the fic chapter-wise. I hope you'll keep reading though...the next chapter is one of my favorites!

What's up with Ken, anyway? Sibling rivalry? Something worse? With Minoru's introduction, we only have one more big character to meet. That person is a bit...eh...different (especially from the mythology lol)...but has been mentioned multiple times in the fic already. Can you guess who it is? ;D

Now I have an interesting end of chapter poll for you!

How do you imagine the narration of this fic? If you were reading it out loud to a friend, would the narrator have a British accent or an American one? Be female or male? Deep voice or high pitched? Do you imagine one of the characters telling the story? Is the narrator sarcastic or very cheerful? Do you like the tone of the narrator or would you prefer a more (blank) narrator?

It's just one of those "hm, I wonder what the readers think" polls, won't hold it against you, though I am indeed female! XD (And not on crack, don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise!)

I hope to see you guys again soon! 60 is the magical review number, or one week. I'm serious about the week thing this time, too. ;D

Preview:

_"Loki-kun, I've discovered a new mystery!"_

_"W-wouldn't they kill me before impersonating me?"_

_"Like Rynkar would ever do something like this."_


	12. Arrangements

Warnings: OOCness, OCs (if you haven't read the fic so far, you'll want to), lack of spellcheck, etc.  
Notes: I have a little reference to a different anime here, can you spot it? XD I totally need to write a spinoff involving it. Posted 8/7/08.

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 12:

Arrangements

"This whole situation is very confusing, but I'm glad that you found us, Vali." Yamino said, serving the group tea.

Ken nodded, but looked less than thrilled.

"Sleipnir really attacked..." Noriko frowned, entering the room. Ken had called her a few minutes before and requested her presence. "Well, he used to be Odin's horse so maybe he's going back to his old ways. You haven't been the best father so I'd hardly blame him for hating you. I was surprised that he didn't, actually. At least you found Va--" She paused, looking at the other twin. "Vali." She finished in a softer tone.

The blonde smiled warmly. "Please call me Minoru. I've been living in Japan for a long time now."

Loki was thrilled out of his mind to hear that both twins were alive. He had been smiling for hours now despite Sleipnir's betrayal. His entire mind was focused on the good news. Plus Ken was still alive. He couldn't really ask for more at the moment.

Mayura burst through the agency's doors, too excited to think about the revelations from earlier. She was focused on something supernatural.

"Loki-kun, I've discovered a new mystery! My cousin--the one whose fiance is afraid of cats--has this pet pig and she suspects that he can talk but she can't prove it. Want to go solve it in Nerim--" She paused, noticing Minoru. "Who is that...?"

"Mom!" Minoru gushed, running to hug her. Slightly distressed, Ken watched him do so.

Mayura paled. "Loki-kun...who is this...?"

"Vali. Ken's twin and Sigyn's other son." Loki said, quite proud.

Mayura's face gained back its color and she hugged Minoru back. "Kyaa, I'm meeting everyone today!" She looked around. "Where is the blonde man? Slurpney?"

"Sleipnir has left." Yamino said awkwardly, glancing at his father. Loki bowed his head down slightly as he was reminded of the situation.

"C'mon, I'll explain it to you." Ken said, taking Mayura's hand and leading her to the kitchen to discuss it.

Noriko smiled warmly at Minoru. "So, Vali, you found us, eh? How did you do that again?"

Minoru shifted uncomfortably. "Narfi and I are connected. We always have been...we've been in contact for a long time now. When I sensed something wrong, I rushed over. I can't believe Sleipnir would attack you like that. It was so...random."

Noriko chuckled. "Why, yes, it was. So you've been living in Japan?"

"Yes..." Minoru said, nervous because of the interrogation. "My adopted parents are takoyaki merchants."

"Hm...and what powers do you have?"

"Um, I'm not entirely sure yet. I can't control my magic." The blonde boy was sweating a little now.

"Can you use a sword?"

"I've taken fencing lessons at school..."

"Which school?"

"Um, Tokyo Cent--"

Loki interrupted the odd conversation. "Sif, why are you asking so many questions?"

Noriko blinked at him before smiling again. "I just wanted to verify that it's him. It would suck if Baldur or Hod happened to disguise himself as Vali to fool us."

Minoru paled at the very thought. "W-wouldn't they kill me before impersonating me?"

Noriko nodded. "Right...but you have nothing to worry about. We'll protect you. After all, you and Ken have that twin sense."

He nodded in reply, though he still seemed a little nervous.

Ken and Mayura re-entered the room.

"Mou, I need to go call my cousin and tell her that we can't help. Unless you want to take a field trip...?" Mayura suggested.

Loki shook his head. "Sorry, Mayura, but as you can see matters here require my attention. We can help your cousin later."

The pink-haired girl nodded but didn't seem thrilled that she had to disappoint her cousin. "I think I'll head home. But Loki-kun..."

The god of fire raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue.

"I want a date with Kami-sama tomorrow!" Mayura announced. "After school! It's about time I got to know the real Loki-kun. Okay?"

Loki sweat-dropped but smiled slightly. "Yeah, okay."

She smiled cheerfully and skipped out the door.

"I have homework." Ken muttered. "If you think Sleipnir's attack was bad, you should see our Japanese teacher."

Noriko grinned. "True! I'd better study too to keep up our guise. C'mon." She dragged Ken out the door.

Yamino, Minoru and Loki exchanged glances awkwardly.

"Narfi seems angry at me." Minoru finally said.

"Hm...I did notice that." Yamino commented, remembering the odd looks Ken was giving his twin.

Loki sighed. "I think the pressure's getting to him. All of these attacks are bad for us mentally. He's stressed out because Sleipnir almost killed him earlier."

Minoru frowned. "What will you do next, Father?"

The exiled god shook his head. "I don't know...I have a bad feeling that Sleipnir isn't the only one against us."

The blonde blinked, surprised at that response. "You think Narfi's a traitor?"

"I don't know why he would act so cold to you." Loki elaborated. "It's suspicious."

"I don't know...maybe he is a traitor. Sif never liked me." Minoru said, twisting his fingers around the hem of his shirt. "Maybe they're teamed up against you...maybe I ruined their plans to betray you."

Yamino frowned. "This discussion is silly, Loki-sama. You know that none of us would, in our right minds, betray you. Sleipnir is possessed by some evil, and Ken is just tired and paranoid. You have to trust your family."

Loki glanced at his green-haired son. "You're right, Yamino...I really should trust them. Sif's an old family friend and Thor's wife. Narfi's my son. Why would they betray me?"

X

"He came? He's alive?" Koutarou hissed, slamming his hands on the table. The sound echoed throughout the empty library.

Ken's eyes widened at the noise and he tried to motion for Koutarou to be more silent. "Yeah, apparently. I really thought he was dead. I mean, we all saw Sleipnir--"

"This is terrible. It ruins everything. Why didn't you sense him?" Koutarou began to pace.

Ken frowned. "Sleipnir attacked just before he arrived. I was a little distracted." He spun around in his swivel chair and chuckled slightly as he did so.

Ignoring the spinning, Koutarou brushed a hand through his hair. "Who gave the order for Sleipnir to attack? Who implanted evil in him?"

"I dunno. You're the one in charge of controlling the Asgard people. I'm just monitoring Midgard." Ken said, still swiveling.

Suddenly Angrboda appeared before them. She bowed. "Baldur, my liege, I wish to attack Sigyn again. Permission?" She then noticed Ken. "Who is this?"

Koutarou glanced at Ken from the corner of his eye. "Rynkar, god of time. How can you not recognize him?"

"Forgive me. I came only to request a magical sword to defeat Sigyn." Angrboda explained, and Koutarou waved a hand. A golden sword materialized in the giantess' hands.

"Thank you." She said, vanishing.

"Oooh, liar." Ken chuckled. "Like Rynkar would ever do something like this. Hey, you really want her to attack Sigyn? You're okay with that?"

"She won't win." Koutarou answered, smiling slightly. "I know what to do now that Vali has appeared. I certainly didn't expect him, but since he has come...feed him false information. Do not tell Loki about our partnership or my plan. If you do we will die. Loki cannot know."

Ken grinned. "Of course not. Don't you think he'd be a little upset to find out, Baldy?" With that, he vanished.

Koutarou's eye twitched as the other god left. "I hate him sometimes." He muttered, and went back to studying Japanese.

**X X X**

Oooh, bet you didn't expect that one! Hehe, this has been planned for a long time...you may be confused now, but you're supposed to be. ;D

67 reviews or a week! Fwah, I'm sure you have comments on this chapter so get those reviews in quickly--I love posting new chapters for you guys!

Question!: Do you still like Ken despite his working with Koutarou?

Question #2: Have you figured out the last god to be introduced yet? Someone who has been mentioned _often_ but not yet seen...coming in the next chapter! (Hint: the last quote below is from this person!)

Chapter 13 preview:

_"I wasn't able to kill Sigyn last time, so I thought I would just do it now."_

_"Didn't you align with us?"_

_"I happen to be your rival."_

end twelve


	13. Mayura's New Rival!

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, LANGUAGE, etc.  
Notes: This chapter is one of my favorites (from a writing point of view, at least). I'll talk to you at the end!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 13:

Mayura's New Rival?! A Date With Loki-kun!

"That was the hardest test I've ever had..." Ken moaned. Noriko whistled cheerfully.

"It wasn't too bad."

"Daidouji, it's summer school for us again." Narugami said, not too upset about it.

Mayura sighed.

"Narfi! Mom!"

Ken's eyes widened as Minoru ran out from the school building behind them. He stopped when he reached the group. "You go to this school?"

Ken nodded slightly. "Uh, yeah. You do, too?"

"I'm in a different class than you are." Minoru explained, looking quite excited.

Koutarou watched from the edge of the lawn. Ken met his gaze and nodded.

The girls of the school had gathered just outside the gates. "Kyaa!" They shrieked.

The small group of gods and one reincarnated goddess ignored the chaos as they left the gates. "I wonder what's up with them." Noriko said as a particularly high shriek threatened to pierce the atmosphere.

Then Mayura remembered. "Oh my gosh! It has to be Loki-kun!" The pink-haired girl rushed to the center of the mob.

"They have a date, right?" Minoru asked, trying to remember the conversation from last night.

Noriko nodded. "Yeah, they do. I wonder how she'll react to his true form..."

X

Mayura plowed through the fangirls and reached out for the first male hand she saw. A black-haired boy with glasses glared at her and continued fawning over Loki despite his hand being kidnapped.

"Leave him alone! Loki-kun is my fiance!" Mayura yelled at the fangirls, and they went silent. As they began to murmur about the confession, the blonde god managed to escape. He grabbed Mayura's hand and ran.

The girls growled angrily, realizing that Mayura Daidouji (the ditzy girl who had the cute chef at the festival, was friends with a bunch of cute guys, and happened to be fairly cute herself) had stolen the new bishonen from them.

They formed a mob and began to chase the pair. They didn't find success.

"L-loki-kun, it's really you..." Mayura was blushing furiously as she and Loki finally stopped on a bench in the park, having escaped the fangirls. "You're really Kami-sama. It's really hitting me with this." She admitted.

Loki sighed. "Fiance?"

The blush attempted to consume her face. "Well, I don't know, we love each other and Sigyn--"

"I'm not upset about it." He interrupted her.

Mayura squealed in delight and hugged him. "Really?"

"I wouldn't have told you the truth if I didn't care for you." He muttered, not meeting her gaze.

She blinked and giggled. "Loki-kun is being shy."

"Mayura, I'm not _shy_, I'm just...I don't..."

"Marriage!" Mayura's eyes were glittering now. "Oh, Daddy's going to freak out, but that's okay, we just won't tell him!"

"I think he'll notice if his daughter gets married..."

"Well, maybe not!"

"Mayura..."

"Okay, well, we'll just tell him after we're married. Are there any Norse marriage traditions or anything? I need to book a location and get a rin--"

"Can we go on the date first?"

"Alright." She said, standing up as she released him. "Let's begin it then! Should we go to a haunted house? A restaurant? An arcade?"

Loki opened his mouth to reply but paused. Something was odd...

He glanced at an old woman feeding pigeons nearby. Neither she nor the birds were moving. One was even frozen in midair.

The food cart nearby was surrounded by motionless customers. Apparently Mayura had noticed it as well.

"Loki-kun...? What's going on? What a fushigi mystery!" She said, eyes glittering.

Her happiness faded as someone jumped from a tree, landing before them.

She was taller than anyone Mayura had ever seen, with long blue hair that fell down her back. She wore a black gown fit for a queen and stepped with certainty.

Mayura paled, recognizing her. "You kidnapped me...but you didn't look like that."

The giantess Angrboda smirked at the woman she loathed most. "I am Angrboda, Loki's former lover." She said.

"Angrboda, why are you here?" Loki asked, standing up behind Mayura.

"I wasn't able to kill Sigyn last time, so I thought I would just do it now. Baldur has helped me."

"Baldur's alive? But..." Loki winced, remembering how he had killed Baldur. Baldur had threatened to kill Loki and in self defense...

"He forced Hel to release him. Do you not know? He is the one controlling Odin. He is the one who ordered your death. Now he has personally advised me to kill Sigyn with this." Angrboda pulled a long golden sword from inside her dress. She held it towards Mayura.

"How about it, Sigyn? A duel for Loki's heart?"

Mayura stared at her. "Mou, if I win you'll leave Loki-kun alone? You'll stop trying to kill him?"

Angrboda chuckled. "Of course." Her intentions had never been to harm Loki, only this traitorous woman.

Loki frowned. "Mayura, you can't. Angrboda's a giantess and you're--"

Mayura put a finger over his mouth. "Loki-kun, this is a duel between women. You have to let me fight her."

"No, it's too dangerous. She could kill you!" He said. "I'll fight her."

Mayura took a deep breath as the wind blew around them. She closed her eyes and shook her head. She opened them again, revealing them to be violet. Her hair became black and her form evolved to that of Sigyn's. "She can kill Mayura, but she cannot kill me. I will defeat her." The loyal goddess said. "Mayura agrees."

She backed towards Angrboda. "Angrboda, I can't have you attacking Loki anymore. I'll fight you." Her old silver sword appeared in her hands.

"Sigyn!" Loki yelled, but she ignored him.

"You're terrible with swords." Angrboda commented, smirking at her enemy.

"Afraid of me?" Sigyn asked, and promptly dropped the sword. "Mouuuu, that wasn't supposed to happen!" She picked it up again and posed for battle.

"You're a fool as usual!" Angrboda cried, running at Sigyn and knocking the sword out of her hands. Sigyn watched as it flew into the lake.

The black-haired goddess ran but Angrboda managed to jump in front of her before she could escape.

"I will not rest until Loki is mine. I don't care if you are a goddess, you can't have him!" Angrboda hissed, glaring at Sigyn.

Sigyn narrowed her eyes. "I can still fight you!" She sent a blast of magic at Angrboda, but the giantess blocked it with her sword.

"The new sword Baldur gave to me neutralizes all your magic. You can't remove my evil or whatever it is you intend to do to me. You can't even pick up a sword, little girl." The giantess kicked Sigyn, knocking her to the ground.

The loyal goddess glared up at her. "I won't lose, Angrboda."

"Why do you assume you can defeat me in battle? I'm a warrior, you are a housewife! A goddess? Ha! I am far more godlike than you could ever be, Sigyn!" She aimed her sword at Sigyn again, but found it making contact with a bronze sword.

The swordbearer moved the bronze sword away from Angrboda's golden one and struck mercilessly at Angrboda, causing wounds to open on her arms and stomach.

The giantess gasped at the pain, clutching her arm. "Y-you! You're...you're...you're not supposed to be on Midgard! Didn't you align with us? With Baldur? And Odin?"

The woman with shoulder-length brown hair, jeans, and a yellow t-shirt hardly seemed a goddess but she wielded the bronze sword with ease. She slashed Angrboda's cheek with the sword, watching the giantess' blood drip out.

"Like I'd ever align with you, bitch." The brunette answered, aiming her sword at Angrboda's heart and cursing angrily when the giantess vanished. Time began to move again but no one seemed to notice the scene.

Sigyn smiled. "Thank you..." She fell backwards, fading into Mayura as she fell into Loki's arms.

Mayura blinked. "You saved me...? Who are you?"

The brunette goddess smiled, ruffling Mayura's hair. "Other than your savior?" The sword vanished and a basket appeared in its place. She stood beside Loki and Mayura, looking up at the fire god then down at the mortal girl.

She took a single, golden apple from the basket and twirled it around on her finger. "I happen to be your rival."

Mayura's eyes widened and she turned to Loki. "There's more than just Angrboda...?"

"Not for Loki's love, that's disgusting." The goddess Idunn said, taking a bite of her apple. "I happen to be your rival for motherhood."

**X X X**

There! The last major god(dess) to be introduced--Idunn, Narfi/Ken's foster mother and goddess of youth.

Sorry for the long wait on this chapter--I was away. I appreciate all the reviews and will update again either on August 18/19 or when it hits 75-77 reviews.

This chapter may seem a bit rushed, but I'm quite fond of the minor Loki/Mayura fluff and the scene at the end. You'll get a good feel for what Idunn is like soon enough (maybe I like this chapter because I realize how cool Idunn is?). The "Master God List" will also be coming soon because with Idunn's arrival you don't really need to know any other main gods. A few minor ones will appear, but she's the last important character to know. (:

Chapter!Poll: Are you glad that a "master list" of the gods is coming out soon? Are you starting to lose track of them all? Are there any gods you really wanted to see that you haven't yet?

Next chapter...a set-up for something big:

_"So this Baldur person won't stop until Loki-kun is dead?"_

_"Mother must perish for her neglect."_

_"Baldur, I'm losing my patience. I want Thor returned to me and Loki dead. Soon, unless you wish to join him in his daughter's realm."_

end twelve


	14. A Brief Interim: The Master List

Notes: Not Malora canon necessarily, just All Out Assasin Attack canon. I tried not to reveal anything on this list. If the "secret identity" isn't confirmed, it's listed as "presumed". Ask questions in reviews--I hope this helps! It should also give a preview of what's coming...;D If I've forgotten anyone or need to add something that you think is super important, drop a review and let me know.

You'll learn more about most of the characters soon, I assure you.

In reference to the last name "Yamino", as Midgardsormr's secret identity has that last name, I've given it to most of Loki's children. You'll get more of an explanation later. All "presumed identities" have already appeared in the fic...please go back and look if you can't remember!

AOAA Master God List

Loki: god of fire & chaos, cast out to Midgard (human realm) by his brother.

Odin: king of the gods and brother to Loki.

Baldur: god who Loki killed, apparently in an act of self-defense (according to Loki himself). Baldur has found a way to escape Hel's realm and possess Odin with evil. Presumed identity is Koutarou Kakinouchi.

Frigg: Odin's wife, and a bit of a neatfreak. Obsessed with keeping her house in order.

Sleipnir: son of Loki, a stallion with many legs. He works for Odin and helps take souls to Hel's domain sometimes. Has a spell cast on him currently--whenever he calls Loki "mommy" (Loki is technically his mother), Loki becomes a woman. Presumed identity is Yamino Satoshi.

Fenrir: The great wolf, Loki's second eldest child/son. Currently has a curse cast on him by someone who calls him/herself "Six". He is, at the moment, completely human. And in love with Urd. Pesumed identity: Fuuto Yamino.

Midgardsormr aka Ryusuke Yamino: The world serpent, Loki's third child/son. He takes on a human form mostly, and possesses few magical powers. Fears water (due to an imprisonment there for years). Skuld claims that he will eventually fall for Verdandi.

Hel: The goddess of the underworld, Loki's only daughter/fourth child. She has great magic within her and a love of books. Usually loyal to Loki but cannot leave her domain for great lengths of time.

Vali: The elder of Loki's twins with Sigyn (fifth child of Loki). Blonde and handsome, taking after his father. Vanished years ago, thought to have been killed by Sleipnir under Odin's orders. Powers unknown. Presumed identity is Minoru.

Narfi: The younger twin. Has a connection with Vali, and abilities over darkness/shadow. Can make shadow clones but hasn't made very good ones yet. Raised by Idunn and Bragi. Powers have not developed completely yet. Presumed identity is Ken.

Sif: The golden-haired goddess (her original hair was a victim of one of Loki's pranks so it was replaced with golden thread), married to Thor. Strong-willed. Presumed identity is Noriko.

Thor aka Narugami: The god of thunder, often accompanied by his wooden sword which is really the hammer Mjollnir. Has a very strong work ethic.

Idunn: The goddess of youth. Her apples are golden, and give the gods their immortality. She is very tough and likes cursing. Raised Narfi. Can turn people into children.

Bragi: The god of poetry, Idunn's husband. He isn't Loki's biggest fan, but he assisted Idunn in raising Narfi. Fairly kind but often makes jokes, according to Ken. Brags frequently.

Heimdall: The watcher god, who guards Asgard. Hates Loki for stealing his eye (although Odin, his father, ordered that his eye was stolen). Rooms with Freyr.

Freyr: The god of fertility, not the brightest. A brilliant inventor but lacks people skills and common sense. Has a sister complex and a love for his "yamato nadeshiko"--that would be Mayura.

Freya aka Reiya: The goddess of love, sister to Freyr. Beautiful, obsessed with Loki, and dangerous with a sword.

Urd: The eldest Norn, currently in love with Fenrir. The Norn of the past leads her sisters. Quiet and intelligent. Only known Midgard identity was made up by Yamino, "Urameshi Yue".

Verdandi: The middle Norn, seer of the present. A little more sadistic and sarcastic than her sisters, Verdandi likes invention. Mad science.

Skuld: The youngest Norn governs the future. She's cheerful, innocent, and a little ditzy. She used to love Loki, but perhaps now she'll move on... Likes animals.

Tyr: The god of war, one-handed (that's Fenrir's fault, but he deserved it). Likes battle and is quite honorable, according to Noriko. Fights with Thor, his self-proclaimed "greatest rival".

Rynkar: The god of time, who seemingly travels without the Norns' assistance. Primarily watches over time to help the Norns sway events the way they have to be swayed. Doesn't want the gods to expose themselves.

Angrboda: Loki's second lover/mistress after Svadilfari. Mother of Hel, Fenrir and Midgardsormr. Loves Loki and hates Sigyn...and Mayura.

Hod: God of winter and assassin for Odin.

Svadilfari: Sleipnir's father. Considers Loki his mare when controlled by Odin, but after the hold was released he became a regular stallion. When corrupted, very cruel and wanted to eat Mayura.

Sigyn: The loyal goddess, Loki's wife and third lover. Mother to the twins Narfi and Vali, and quite ditzy. Likes mysteries (Mayura is her reincarnation).

Ran: Goddess of water, able to make water beings to manipulate others. Hates Idunn (the only threat to her hair). Natural enemy to Loki, who hates water.

**X X X X**

Well, that's the master list! I hope that helps--let me know if I've forgotten anything or if you have questions. Everyone on this list will appear eventually and those characters with little information beside their names will be elaborated upon later. I also have some pre-anime backstory...I think you'll like what I have coming!

Thank you!

Sincerely,  
Color

end the master list


	15. The Goddess of Youth, Idunn

Warnings: OCs, OOCness, cursing, mythology references, lack of spellcheck, etc.  
Notes: This chapter is a bit of a bridge...please enjoy it!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 14:

The Goddess of Youth, Idunn

Ken blinked. "Dad did what?"

The entire group was sitting in the Enjaku Agency's main room, discussing the recent events.

The brunette goddess shrugged. "You know Bragi, he likes to brag."

"So this is Idunn? The one who raised Narfi?" Minoru tried to clarify. Mayura was equally confused.

"Yep, that's me." The brunette said, joining in on the conversation. "I figured it was time to pay a visit to Narfi and see how things were going. He's my son, you know."

Minoru was confused again.

"Not by blood." Yamino noted.

"Mom, thanks for saving Mayura." Ken said, ignoring Minoru.

Idunn shrugged. "That bitch Angrboda had it coming to her. I would love to kick her ass."

Loki sweat-dropped. Same old Idunn, always cursing and being overprotective.

"So, Loki, everyone's been attacking you, eh?" Idunn asked, turning to the god who was still in his true form. "Including Sleipnir. That's gotta suck."

Loki sighed. She didn't need to remind him. "Yes, it does. Rumor has it that Hod will be coming soon. The god of winter."

Idunn nodded, chewing her lip. "Yeah, I heard about that. Baldur's after you too."

Loki frowned. "I thought Baldur was dead."

Ken shook his head while Noriko explained.

"Baldur was sent to Hel when you killed him. As a spirit, he gained the ability to possess anyone and control their form. He took control of your daughter and used her power to release himself from Hel. When he returned to Asgard as a spirit he took over Odin and created a body for himself using Odin's powers. Ragnarok itself is about him taking his revenge on you, Loki." The golden-haired goddess explained.

"She's not explaining it well." Idunn corrected. "Baldur has corrupted Odin into thinking that you're the evil one here, Loki, that you deserve pain and suffering. Odin is really the one running the show, but he's been influenced by Baldur. By Baldur's magic, more specifically. After forcing Odin to begin this whole situation, he vanished. We assume he made a body for himself, because he isn't inside Odin anymore. You'll have to purify Odin and remove his evil to stop him, but Baldur...there's a complicated killing process. That's the only way to win Ragnarok."

Mayura frowned. "So this Baldur person won't stop until Loki-kun is dead?"

Yamino nodded. "So it seems, Mayura-san."

"We can stop him!" Minoru said, standing up. "We'll unite all of Dad's allies and family members and defeat him and his army."

"We don't even know where he is." Noriko pointed out, frowning.

"Actually, he's supposed to be here on Midgard. Baldur's mostly left us alone since he wants my apples of eternal youth, but Bragi managed to overhear some gossip through the grapevine." Idunn said, biting into one of said golden apples. She paused. "Hey, Loki, you'd better take a couple of these just in case." She tossed three apples at him. He caught them rather gracefully.

"On Midgard?" Mayura repeated. "Is Midgard Japan...?"

"Earth, actually." Yamino answered.

"But he's in Japan. Somewhere he can keep an eye on you, too." Narugami finally joined the conversation. He had been so quiet that he had nearly been forgotten. "I've been sensing his power ever since I got here, but since I thought he was dead I ignored it. We _are _brothers..."

Ken observed the conversation, thinking. Would it be wise to tell them? Would it benefit the plan or hurt it? He glanced at Minoru. If nothing else, it would cause panic in Minoru and that was an essential ingredient. The less success Minoru had, the better.

"I know where Baldur is. I found out where his base of Midgard operations is while I was looking for you, Loki." Ken interrupted, causing a wave of shock to course through the room. "I'll take you to him. Just tell me who and when."

Loki stared at his youngest son. He didn't want to believe that Ken would betray them all, but the excuse sounded so weak. Still, if he knew where Baldur was... "Tomorrow. We'll figure out who's going sometime tonight. For now, you should escort Mayura home." He doubted that Ken would harm Mayura, especially after such a revelation. It would be too suspicious.

Knowing his father's discomfort, Yamino sighed. "Loki-sama..."

X

Koutarou sighed, burying his face in his hands. "I _hate_ you right now. I cannot believe you told them where I'm hiding."

"Abandoned library? It's predictable anyway." Ken said, swiveling in the chair again.

The blonde god glared at him. "You're going to ruin everything."

Ken shook his head. "No, I thought it out. Think how upset Minoru will be to see you. You terrify him. Especially now that he realizes you're alive. Maybe he'll think you're a ghost? Maybe he'll slip up with Loki, giving us the advantage due to his nervousness."

"Unlikely." Koutarou replied. "He's a genius. He'll figure us both out quickly and tell Loki. Then Loki will kill us. You want to die?"

Ken shook his head again. "No, and I'm not going to. You won't either."

"With all due respect, Rynkar, perhaps it would be best if I accompanied Master Baldur." Angrboda said, appearing from the shadows with a gash on her face. "I wish for revenge upon Idunn and Sigyn now." She still believed the earlier lie about Ken's identity.

"I should warn you that I'm pretending to be Narfi among Loki's family." Ken said, looking at the floor as he spun in the chair. "They can't know that I'm working with you, Angrboda."

"I'm going too."

Ken and Koutarou turned to see Sleipnir enter the room, sitting at the table with the other three. "Mother must perish for her neglect."

Tyr roared with desire for battle, breaking down the doors as he followed. "Thor owes me a fight!"

"Silence!" The supreme commander of the group announced, appearing before them.

"Odin..." Tyr muttered.

The white-haired king of the gods glanced around the table. "Baldur, I'm losing my patience. I want Thor returned to me and Loki dead, soon, unless you wish to join him in his daughter's realm."

"Anything you wish." Koutarou bowed slightly.

Odin nodded, vanishing again. Angrboda, Tyr, and Sleipnir exited the room.

"Are we being watched now?" Ken asked.

Koutarou shook his head. "No."

Ken sighed. "Do you think Ragnarok will end as predicted? I would really like to keep my organs."

The blonde rolled his eyes. "Narfi, you will keep your organs, I assure you. Things will play out as planned. In fact, you may be right. Showing Minoru and Loki exactly who is on Odin's side will cause tension and confusion among the group. They'll eventually suspect you, and you can try to play it off. Idunn will certainly help."

"I really don't want to die." Ken added.

"Listen, after tomorrow Odin will send Hod and Ran. Heimdall wants to go, but Odin may not allow him to. Frigg will probably discourage it." Koutarou began.

"Frigg?" The black-haired god repeated, frowning at the mention of Odin's wife.

Koutarou ignored this. "After those attacks, you must lure him into the final battle. You, Loki, and all his allies must fight everyone under Odin's control...including me."

Ken scratched his head, stopping his chair's spinning. "Do I have to kill you?"

"No. We'll pretend to fight then I will face Minoru, the one I must have revenge on...you, meanwhile, will have to get rid of Loki."

Ken raised an eyebrow. "You mean...?"

"Yes." Koutarou said, smiling as he remembered the brilliant finish to his long-winded plan. "Death."

**X X X X**

Wow, this chapter's revealing! I forgot exactly how revealing until I edited it today...I'm pretty excited for the next chapter now! There is so much more coming and I'm really excited to show it to you guys. For those keeping up with both, "The Mythical Detective Mayura" is coming along, albeit slowly.

Being evil, I'm going with 81-83 before an update...guys, those reviews will make this fic the most-reviewed I've ever written. Please help me pass that goal!

Next chapter preview...:

_"You know they're gonna try to kill us. Again. So who's taking who?"_

_"I intend to send you into Hel's domain permanently."_

_"Don't worry, baby brother...I'll play with you."_

end fourteen


	16. The Library Battle Begins

Warnings: OOCness, OCs (if you haven't read the fic so far, you'll want to), lack of spellcheck, cursing, etc.  
Notes: Posted 8/28/08. Battle scenes are hard for me! Please enjoy this chapter.

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 15:

The Library Battle Begins

The library doors flew off their hinges, being kicked open by a force unlike any other.

Idunn stepped over the door corpses and stomped through the abandoned library. "Damn, it's empty. Narfi was wrong."

Loki followed her, holding his staff. "Idunn..." The blonde god started uncertainly. He knew it was a sensitive, awkward topic but if anyone could tell him the truth, it'd be Idunn. He gulped and quietly asked her what was on his mind.

"Do you think Ken's betraying us?"

The brunette goddess scoffed at him immediately, not even taking a moment to consider it. "No! Why would my son do that to you? You're his birth father, he wouldn't want you or me dead."

Minoru blinked as he quietly entered the library. He stepped closer to Loki, hiding in the god of fire's shadow. "This place is creepy." He commented, flicking the lights on. "I-I don't like it."

Idunn glared at him, annoyed by his cowardice. Why had he even come, anyway? He was totally useless. Yet the boy had insisted, saying he wanted to help his father and participate in the battle...Ken and the others had reluctantly agreed since he was so insistent. Now Minoru just seemed scared.

Narugami shrugged, walking behind the trickster's son. "You know they're gonna try to kill us. Again. So who's taking who?"

"Idunn is mine." Someone hissed, and the four turned to see Angrboda smirking from her seat on top of the historical fiction bookshelf. "You'll pay for this." She ran a long finger across the scar on her face.

Idunn grinned. "Bring it, bitch!"

"No, not yet, Angrboda." Koutarou said, standing on top of the table in the center of the library.

"Koutarou...? Why are you here?" Loki asked, frowning at the boy. Wasn't he Mayura's friend? A mortal? A--

"B-baldur...?" Minoru asked, growing pale at the sight of the other blonde. In fact, he seemed absolutely terrified of the other god.

Koutarou smirked at him. "It's a pity I won't be able to fight you today, but later we'll battle, I assure you. I intend to send you into Hel's domain permanently." He held out a hand and a long white staff appeared. "However, I'll be fighting Loki today."

Minoru's eyes widened, and paralyzed by fear, he could only stutter "but how?"

"Baldur...you've been pretending to be our friend all along?" Narugami asked, a little surprised.

"Yes, that is correct." Koutarou said, rolling his eyes. "You idiots made it all too easy. I had so many chances to kill you, honestly, it's a miracle that you're still alive."

Narugami gritted his teeth and prepared for a fight but Tyr appeared at that moment. Holding a long, thick sword over his shoulder with his single arm, the god of war smirked. "Ready for another match, Thor?"

Minoru was shaking now.

"Don't worry, baby brother..." Sleipnir added, slipping out of the shadows. "I'll play with you. Oh by the way, Loki...remember the spell? Mommy."

Loki held back a groan as the old spell activated and he became a woman. His powers were less accessible with this spell...Sleipnir knew what he was doing.

Angrboda couldn't hold back anymore and she jumped off the shelf, aiming her heels at Idunn.

The shorter goddess dodged and smirked as her own golden sword appeared. She met Angrboda's long sword with her own.

"I'm going to kill you and enjoy it!" Angrboda hissed.

Idunn chuckled. "Doubt it." She moved her sword away quickly and aimed for Angrboda's stomach. The giantess, however, vanished at that very moment.

Idunn followed through with her slash then stood up straight again, looking around. Where had the giantess gone? She was hard to miss...

"Right here!" Her enemy cried, and a sphere of water hit Idunn in the chest, throwing her through the window.

The soaked goddess of youth muttered something outside and stood up. "She is going down! How'd she do that anyway...? Angrboda can't use water magic."

"Isn't my water clone of Angrboda lovely?" Came a melodic voice, and the goddess of water Ran appeared from behind the biography section. Her pale blue hair trailed behind her and she was stroking a long strand with her hand, curling it around her finger with the other hand.

"Before the end of this war, you're going to get a haircut." The goddess of youth assured her, smirking at Ran's hair obsession and the thought of destroying it.

Ran chuckled and the fake Angrboda became a puddle. "You're going to get a cut, too. Right in the heart."

Idunn grinned even more. "Bring it, bitch!"

X

Mjollnir sparked as Tyr's sword matched its strength.

"Thor, this is a wonderful battle!" Tyr said, excited.

"Yeah it is, huh?" Narugami couldn't really deny that.

Thus the two glittered with manly pride as they fought each other with murderous intentions.

The only problem was that neither was able to strike the other. The god of war and the god of thunder seemed to be equally matched. Tyr was smiling insanely, thrilled by the perfect battle he was currently fighting.

He was in a much better mood than during his previous fight. Perhaps the lack of "filthy spectators" had prompted this sudden nobility.

Thunder crashed outside as the swords clashed again and again and again. At one point, books were slashed and the table too yet there was no clear victor in sight.

Perhaps they were too evenly matched...

**X X X X**

Sorry that this was late! It's a mildly interesting chapter, and mostly a set-up for the final battle...I have to create some grudges, y'know. XD The battle continues in the next chapter (and maybe the one after...I can't remember! D:)

I'll try to keep next week's on time...unless I get up to 87 reviews (early post!!) :D I am so thrilled about this becoming my most-reviewed fanfic, you don't even know lol...one more review'll do it :P

Chapter poll!: Most interesting battle match-up out of the following?

-Sleipnir vs Minoru

-Loki vs Koutarou

-Idunn vs Ran

-Tyr vs Narugami


	17. The Library Battle Ends

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, LANGUAGE, etc.  
Notes: See new review policy at the end!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 16:

The Library Battle Ends

"Thunder crashed outside as the swords clashed again and again and again. At one point, books were slashed and the table too yet there was no clear victor in sight.

Perhaps they were too evenly matched..."

X

Unlike Minoru and Sleipnir.

They were in a different area of the library, but the screams of "bring it on, bitch" and the sound of thunder were still clearly audible.

"What will you be fighting with, Vali?" Sleipnir asked, amused at Minoru's lack of weapon.

The blonde god nervously shifted his feet. "Um...magic. I'm not very good with swords. Like Mom."

Sleipnir frowned. "Right...well, as a courtesy, I will fight you in a human form. It makes the embarrassment of losing all the more intense."

Minoru was shaking again. "Wait! First, I have to know...Baldur saved himself by possessing Hel, right?"

The demigod nodded. "Correct."

"How was I saved, though? I didn't control Hel and you ki--" Minoru froze. "When I was unconscious, you pushed me to Midgard instead of stomping on me. You saved me."

Sleipnir glanced away. "A guilt trip won't work. I thought you were conscious, and how could I kill a little kid who was looking up at me? I may be an animal, but I don't enjoy killing."

Minoru's expression darkened as he began to understand. "Is Baldur the one in charge?"

Wondering what the interrogation was about, Sleipnir shook his head. "Odin's running the show, but Baldur is the one carrying out his plans. He gives us the specific orders."

"If Baldur told you all to stop, what then?" Minoru asked.

"We'd kill him in a heartbeat." Sleipnir replied, figuring that the pale boy wasn't much of a threat. There was little to lose by telling him. The only side effect would be an increase in Minoru's fear. While Sleipnir wasn't thrilled about murder, fear sounded fairly delicious.

"One more question before I fight you. Is Baldur working with someone in my group? Do we have another family member against us?" Minoru was tearing up now, but something about it seemed off. "Did someone betray us?"

Cautiously, Sleipnir eyed him before deciding that more fear would mean more fun.

Sleipnir nodded, thinking of Ken. "Yes, you do. And that person will be working with us until the very end...you won't be able to stop our plans, Vali."

Minoru began to cry as he sank to his knees, feeling utterly defeated. "Can I surrender? Why would I want to live in a world where everyone turns against me? A world where I can't trust anyone?"

"Surprising, considering your heritage." Sleipnir commented and Minoru stared at him, still crying. "Most of Loki's children have accepted that they live in a world where they must be paranoid. A world where trusting others is foolish. Trusting others led to my brothers being imprisoned, my sister being scarred, and your near death."

Minoru shook his head, standing up again. He was still shaking. "You're wrong. You don't really believe that, Sleipnir."

The demigod shrugged. "It's true."

"I'm going to bring you back to our side!" Minoru insisted, gaining a sudden burst of strength. A long staff appeared in his hand and he twirled it.

"A purification device? You're going to remove my evil?" Sleipnir asked, laughing. "Even if you could catch me and purify me, it'd be pointless. Don't you understand anything? This is my nature; there's no evil to remove. You can't erase my uneasiness. You're a moron. I have no interest in killing a whining little boy who is so naive to the ways of the world. Fight me again when you've become a man." He waved a hand and books flew from the shelves, landing on Minoru.

The demigod vanished and Minoru brushed the books off his head to escape.

X

Loki's staff hit Koutarou's and a blast of energy sent them both backwards.

Loki stood up, glaring. "Why?"

Koutarou chuckled. "Why? Why do I hate you? Why am I here fighting you? Why am I alive?"

"Why'd you pretend to be our friend?"

Koutarou frowned. "Because I wanted to get close to you. To spy on you. I think that's rather obvious."

"You're lying!" Loki said, jumping towards him with the staff.

Koutarou blocked, but hit his back against a bookshelf in the process. He was cornered.

"You may hate me, but you don't hate Mayura! I saw you interact with her. Are you planning to kill her too?" The taller god asked.

Koutarou slipped underneath Loki's legs and struggled to his feet as Loki turned around to face him again.

"And what would you say if I told you that I loved Sigyn?" Koutarou asked, raising an eyebrow.

Loki became silent. Baldur...loved Sigyn? What? How? This had to be a trick...

"It's true. I care for her. Certainly more than I care for you, at least." Koutarou said, and dodged suddenly as Loki's staff flew past his head, barely missing.

"Leave Mayura alone. Don't involve her. She isn't Sigyn." Loki urged him.

Koutarou chuckled in response. "She's already involved, Loki."

Koutarou dropped his staff to indicate that the fight was over. "Now, listen..." He approached Loki, and the god of fire shifted backwards slightly.

The shorter god chuckled, picking up a long blonde strand of hair. "You make a good mother, eh, Loki?"

Loki had forgotten Sleipnir's curse until that moment. She swallowed her breath. "The curse won't last forever. We'll fight again and I won't lose."

"I certainly would hope not." Koutarou said, and Loki raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"What?"

"We will leave you, Loki, but a final battle is coming. After a few more attacks, Ragnarok will come. Now, will you follow the legends and die in a battle against Heimdall? How will you cope with losing your family again?"

Loki growled. "Baldur!" She inched forward to attack him with a spell but Koutarou vanished.

There came a great splash from outside and a cry of "damn her!"

A very soggy Idunn saundered back into the library, sighing. "Ran got away."

"I thought you were fighting Angrboda." Narugami said, disappointed that Tyr had disappeared. The god of thunder climbed over a collapsed bookshelf and joined the group.

Minoru crawled into the room. "Is everyone gone...?" He asked, shaking with fear. His battle with Sleipnir had finally gotten to him and now he was absolutely terrified of what was coming.

"Yes, this fight is over. Baldur said that we would fight at Ragnarok. He doesn't seem to think the other assassins will find success." Loki admitted, and the curse wore off. With a poof, he was back to his true form.

Idunn sighed. "Ragnarok?" She repeated.

Minoru groaned, putting his head in his hands. "No...I don't want to kill Narfi..."

Narugami frowned, knowing his legendary fate at Ragnarok. It involved Midgardsormr's death...

"We'll win, though, right?" Idunn asked, grinning. "I mean, we always win!"

She was answered by silence.

The brunette goddess let her grin slip away. "We have to win...we can't lose! We can't. We won't! C'mon, Loki, you're the god of fire! Thor, the god of thunder, Vali the god of..." She paused. "What are you the god of?"

Minoru shrugged.

"So cheer up, we're all strong gods. Things can't get worse so they have to get better." Idunn proclaimed.

The hole that Idunn and Ran had created earlier, the hole that led outside, was practically begging to have someone step through it.

"Loki!" The familiar voice echoed throughout the library as its owner stepped through the rubble and promptly tripped over some pebbles, flying across the room and landing at Loki's feet.

"Hello, Loki..." A second voice greeted. "We've come here to officially join you. We figure you'll need our help."

**X X X**

Kyaa! New allies? Who could it be?

The fights were short or nonexistant, I know, but that's because the awesome comes at the end of the fic!

Nine/ten days and only three reviews. The new update policy: I update at either five or six reviews. No weekly thing with conditions. I will update at 5 reviews. That means 89 total. If you can't think of anything to say, why not answer the chapter poll? That's why I include it (:

Chapter poll: Who is coming to join Loki?

Next chapter:

_"We're family." _

_"You two can flirt later."_

_"I want to kill Loki myself when that moron fails." _

end sixteen


	18. Loki's New Allies and Ken's New Romance!

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, LANGUAGE, etc.  
Notes: Not an especially exciting chapter, but an important one!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 17:

Loki's New Allies and Ken's New Romance!

The hole that Idunn and Ran had created earlier, the hole that led outside, was practically begging to have someone step through it.

"Loki!" The familiar voice echoed throughout the library as its owner stepped through the rubble and tripped, flying across the room and landing at Loki's feet.

"Hello, Loki..." A second voice greeted. "We've come here to officially join you. We figure you'll need our help."

"Yeah, Loki, we're here to assist you!" The blonde at his feet said, standing up and saluting to him. "After all, Urd's marrying Fenrir. We're family."

Verdandi shrugged at this. "Loki, we feel that we owe you an apology for our past deeds. You, too, Thor."

Narugami frowned, remembering the statue incident. Still, now that Sif was on Midgard, it seemed less significant...

Skuld nodded. "We're sorry. We really want to help. We haven't really gone out of our way to offer help yet but now we want to start."

Loki exchanged glances with Narugami and opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted.

"Why should we trust you?" Idunn asked, crossing her arms. A bookshelf collapsed behind her, apparently damaged from the battle.

"Because we're family!" Skuld repeated her sister's words. "Urd married into your clan, and who are we to question her judgment? Plus, Odin's getting really annoying." She muttered. "I want revolution!"

"Makes sense." Minoru said nervously. "They seem genuine to me."

Loki nodded. "Okay, you two can help us. But if we start to suspect anything--"

"We'll be good, we promise. Thank you, Loki." Verdandi bowed slightly. "Now if we could have an audience with your allies, we wish to tell you what Skuld has foreseen."

X

Skuld was stuttering.

Ken was blushing.

Yamino was confused, Verdandi was chuckling, and Loki really didn't have time for this burst of sudden love.

"Y-you look l-like Loki..." Skuld whispered, infatuated with the youngest of Loki's children.

Ken blushed even more. "Ah...yeah, so I've been told."

"Okay, as lovely as this is," Idunn said, finally growing past annoyed and straight into fed up, "we have a war to discuss. You two can flirt later." She knocked her adopted son on the head. "Focus, Narfi."

Ken blinked and nodded, looking away from the cute blonde goddess of the future. "You two said you had predictions about the future?" He asked Verdandi.

Verdandi nodded, leaning against Yamino's shoulder as she spoke. "Skuld has seen that Hod, god of winter, will attack Loki next. Loki, you must use your powers as the god of fire to defeat him."

Loki nodded.

Skuld continued for her sister. "At Ragnarok, Idunn must battle Ran. Tyr and Thor have to fight, too. Everyone seems to have a fight lined up, but the future is growing darker. Our fate is uncertain."

"Are Freyr and Freya on our side?" Noriko asked.

Verdandi shook her head. "No, not at all. Freya wants revenge against Mayura much like Angrboda does because Freya loves you, Loki. Freyr hates Loki for stealing his sister and Japanese woman, and is currently obeying Odin's orders."

"Skuld saw all this?" Loki asked, suspecting something.

Skuld frowned. "No, actually. I didn't. We have an informant inside the other side who's telling us this."

"How can you trust him?" Narugami asked.

"Or her." Idunn said, glaring at him.

"We can't say who or why. Those are the terms of our agreement...but our source is trustworthy. Frustrating, yes. Annoying, yes...but trustworthy."

Ken bit his lip.

X

"Sleipnir, you seem a little distracted." Angrboda commented.

Ran sat beside her, drinking a tall glass of water and refilling it out of thin air. Then she drank it again.

The demigod glanced at the giantess. "I suppose I am. I was just wondering if I could save Mother."

"Loki is beyond help." Odin said, slamming his fist on the table. His eyes had a glow to them that they had lacked before. "We must kill him."

Koutarou frowned. "Why not make him suffer first? Send out more of his former friends to kill him and you'll break him. Wouldn't that be more fun?"

"Baldur makes an excellent point." Heimdall said, smirking. "Loki must be broken."

"May I go?" A man with silver hair asked, joining the table. "I have not had the honor of fighting Loki."

Shivering, Koutarou nodded. "Yes, I think that'd be best."

As soon as the god of winter vanished, the group relaxed.

"I wish to go after him. I want to kill that Idunn...how dare she threaten my hair." Ran hissed.

"I want to kill Loki myself when that moron Hod fails." Heimdall added, ready for revenge.

"Very well. Baldur clearly has things under control...I leave it to you." Odin vanished.

Koutarou smirked to himself. All according to plan...

**X X X**

No one figured out that it was the Norns! XD Nope, Heimdall & Freyr will NOT be joining Loki lol, as mentioned earlier...

Now I shall give everyone a hint at the deep mystery of the story. 85 percent of the time, I write in third person limited (though I switch which character I'm limiting myself to depending on the scene). Meaning, the thoughts of the individual character. Characters can lie in their thoughts and in their words. I.e., when Loki thinks that Ken is dead in the shadow clone chapter, Ken isn't actually dead--Loki just thinks so and in my third person limited perspective, I'm reflecting that. If this doesn't make sense, either ask in a review for further explanation or don't worry about it. If you do get it, however, maybe you can figure out my story's complex secret...

Update at 94 reviews. I should note that it took less than a week to get five reviews this time, so keep reviewing--it benefits us both.

Poll: Everyone is paired up in the final battle. Who will Yamino fight? :3

Next chapter:

__

"Mou, I wish I could go make a snowman but it's too cold."

"One bite will last you thousands of years."

"Snakes don't do well in the cold."

end seventeen


	19. The Offer of Immortality

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, fluff, etc.  
Notes: Transition chapter yay! Transition chapter yay!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 18:

The Offer of Immortality

"J-japan isn't s-supposed to be s-so cool t-this time of y-year..." Mayura stuttered as she wrapped herself in a warm coat, sitting on the Enjaku Agency's couch.

"It's Hod." Loki said, surrounded by heaters. He had his rather long legs stretched out across the desk. "He knows I hate cold."

"W-who?" Mayura asked, picking another blanket up from the table to cover herself.

"The god of winter, Miss Mayura." Yamino answered, entering the room.

"Where i-is everyo--everyone?" The pink-haired girl wondered, looking around.

"Ken couldn't take the cold so he went to visit Bragi with Idunn. Noriko and Narukami went too. I wanted to go, but if I leave he'll take the evil in the basement." Loki explained. "Skuld and Verdandi--those fate sisters--are working to contact Urd and Fenrir. Sleipnir betrayed us, as you know, and Minoru...is there. Sleeping."

He pointed upwards. "Upstairs. I can't believe that they're all alive. It's amazing. I thought he was dead for so long...Sigyn must be thrilled."

Mayura shrugged. "M-mou, I guess...s-she doesn't s-say much..." Her teeth were chattering.

Yamino left the room and returned with more blankets. He dropped three on Mayura and she curled herself around them. Finally, she began to warm up. "Loki-kun, Hod broke your heating too?"

"The snow did." Yamino said, rubbing his gloved hands together as he gestured to the window. Snow was falling heavily on the ground despite the season.

"Mou, I wish I could go make a snowman but it's too cold." Mayura said with a sigh. She let her gaze drift to Loki and blushed. She still wasn't used to his handsome form as the god of fire.

Yamino frowned. "I think I'm going to go check on Minoru." He said, exiting the room.

Mayura watched him go and stood up, walking over to Loki. With all the heaters around him and the ten blankets he was wearing, she was amazed that he wasn't sweating.

She sighed, sitting on the desk by his feet. "Loki-kun, this Hod person is going to come attack us?"

"He won't attack you, just me. The only ones out for you are Angrboda, Svadilfari, and maybe Ran. Svadilfari is Sleipnir's father and Sigyn already purified him, so you only have two women to worry about. They both have blue hair."

The mirror in Mayura's hand shimmered. "Sigyn is always there to help you." He added, glancing at it.

The pink-haired girl frowned. "Loki-kun, I know we've already talked about this, but I'm not her. I'm not Sigyn." She fumbled slightly on her past life's name.

The god's gaze softened. "I know you aren't. I was falling for you even before I found out...before Ken came. Remember when I first showed you my wings and told you I was a god? I didn't have to come back. I wasn't supposed to."

Uncertain how to respond to this new information, she just sighed. "Oh. But Loki-kun, you're a god with powers and children and...I'm not. I'm a teenage mortal detective. Even if we do get married and have kids, I'm going to die one day and Loki-kun won't."

Mayura ran a hand through her hair as Loki listened. "Loki-kun, it's almost like you're Zeus. You have all these powerful goddesses waiting for you, yet you want Alchemy."

"Alcmene." Loki corrected, thinking of Heracles' mother, a mortal woman with unsurpassed beauty and loyalty.

"Right." She said, distracted. "Loki-kun, I can't fight these people because they aren't women, they're goddesses."

"Angrboda is a giantess." Loki corrected again, earning himself a glare.

Mayura frowned. "I just don't know...I really don't want to die."

Then Loki remembered something. "Mayura..." He started, wondering how to tell her this. "You don't have to." He reached into a desk drawer and took out the three sparkling apples Idunn had given him. "One bite will last you thousands of years."

She stared at him. "What?"

"They're apples of immortality. If you take one, you'll become a goddess."

She opened her mouth slightly to reply before shaking her head. "The goddess of what?"

He sighed. "I don't know."

Her eyes began to glitter. "Will I get mysterious goddess powers?"

He shook his head. "Maybe. I don't know."

Her eyes glittered more. "Will it heal my wounds if I'm dying?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it would."

She glanced away. It sounded wonderful but terrifying at the same time. "I'll think about it, Loki-kun."

X

After a week, the snow still wouldn't cease. Citizens were trapped inside their homes, as large blocks of ice blocked the roads, coffee companies cackled at their good fortune, and Hod still hadn't attacked.

One of the few places in the area with heat was a lovely shrine...home of one Misao Daidouji and his daughter.

Said man, a priest, was currently in for the shock of his life.

"You're my daughter's fiance?" He repeated, staring at the man before him.

The blonde man looked to be his daughter's age, for sure, but something reminded Misao of that little bratty detective Loki. Still, Mayura was far too young for marriage.

"Daddy, it's a long story that I can't explain but yes." The pink-haired girl said, holding the man's hand.

Misao was seeing red.

Loki sweat-dropped. "I'm Loki's distant cousin. Very distant."

The black-haired man groaned, leaning back in his chair at the kitchen table. "Engaged. My baby's getting married. This is ridiculous, you're too young. Why did you decide to tell me now?"

"Because the heating at his house is broken..." Mayura said with a sigh. Loki had finally decided to risk Hod stealing the evil in the basement and just sleep at Mayura's house already.

After a few more hours of discussion, Misao finally gave in. "As long as you're happy." He muttered, and went up to his room. He refused to accept that any man would take his daughter but he couldn't change her mind immediately. He'd work on it.

Mayura watched him go and smiled at Loki. "That's the closest thing to an approval that we'll ever get, Loki-kun. After all, we can't tell him about the gods..." She twisted a strand of hair.

He watched her for a full minute before answering her unspoken question. "You don't have to decide about the apples yet. You can wait as long as you want."

The pink-haired teenager blinked at him and nodded. "Okay. Loki-kun, are you sure that Yamino-san will be okay with Idunn-san?"

"Snakes don't do well in the cold." Loki commented, noticing her change of topic.

Mayura sweated slightly. "Yamino-san is really a snake...that's so strange to believe. But he's also your son...? He looks like a normal person though."

The blonde god smiled slightly. "I wasn't thrilled about it at first. Want to hear the whole story?"

This interested Mayura. "Okay..." She said, ready to hear more about Loki's world.

**X X X**

You'll soon see who Yamino fights! Thanks so much for the reviews everyone--I cannot believe the time has finally come, but 100 reviews in total will make me update. 0.0 I'm soooo excited!!

Poll: Favorite child of Loki's?

Next chapter:

__

"You need a real wife."

"A wolf?"

"What have you done to him?"

end eighteen


	20. A Journey Into The Past

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, fluff, etc.  
Notes: This is one of my favorite chapters (:

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 19:

A Journey Into The Past

"Loki, it's hard to believe that just a few centuries ago you were a giant! I'm so glad you became a god..." The white-haired man said cheerfully, rolling around in the field of flowers. "I know we're only brothers because we exchanged blood, but you've always been like a real sibling to me!"

"You too." Loki commented, with the additional thought that siblings annoyed each other frequently. He was sitting against a tree, watching the king of the gods waste time.

Odin sat up suddenly and crawled over to Loki, leaning against the tree beside him. "Hey, are you ever going to have a wife or kids? The other gods are going to start laughing at you."

"I have Sleipnir." Loki muttered, remembering that experience. Certainly not one he wanted to repeat.

"But he's my horse." Odin said with a huff. "Loki! You need a real wife. Oh, what about that giantess Angrboda? She's pretty."

"I don't like her that much. She's pretty, and she always seemed to be nice but she isn't my type. Besides, bad things happen when giants and gods mix." Loki commented. "I'm not a giant anymore. When I took Idunn's apple and exchanged blood with you, I became a god..."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Odin asked with a roll of his eyes. "All the gods end up being beautiful and lovely and--"

X

Angrboda was cooing at the thing in her arms but Loki wasn't certain what to make of it.

Today was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. He was finally going to be a father, not a mother. He would have children who weren't part animal, who could interact as humans--

He didn't love Angrboda much, but she never claimed to love him either. They both wanted children, however, and the best way to accomplish it was together.

But this was wrong.

Angrboda frowned at Loki. "You can't even smile at him?"

"He's...a puppy...I don't understand." Loki said, completely confused.

"He's a wolf." Angrboda corrected, playing with her baby's paw. "I think we should name him Fenrir."

"But why is he a wolf? Shouldn't he be more godlike?" Loki asked, sweating.

Angrboda took a deep breath and glared at him. "Loki, giants and gods are not meant to have children together. This shouldn't have happened. But it did, and he's our son, so you might as well start acting like a father."

Loki remembered his conversation with his brother years before and sighed. He came closer to the puppy and smiled. He was pretty cute...it didn't really matter if he wasn't human, right? This was just an odd coincidence. He would raise his son as a god even if he didn't look like one.

X

Fenrir was trembling in his father's arms. "Daddy, is Mommy going to be okay?" He asked in a high-pitched voice.

The blonde god nodded, unsure of what would happen in the bedroom Frigg used for deliveries. It was the second sibling this time and he wasn't sure if it would be a dog or a giant or a god...

A woman with blonde hair in tight curls down to her shoulders left the room. "Angrboda's fine, Loki." The queen of the gods said as demigoddesses fawned over Angrboda's new child. "But your child..."

"A wolf?" Fenrir asked hopefully.

"A serpent." Frigg answered, frowning.

Loki exchanged glances with Fenrir.

X

"She's a goddess!" Frigg said, absolutely amazed. "A goddess!"

The god of fire, looking a little worse for the wear, was sitting in his personal chambers when she came running in then back out.

"What? Mommy gave birth?" Fenrir asked, larger than the couch currently.

The long snake, however, was coiled around various parts of the room not making any motions or sounds.

"You want to go see her? It looks like you have a sister." Loki said, quite amazed that he had a daughter. A goddess of a daughter. She wasn't a snake, or a dog, or a horse...

He glanced over at his two sons. The loud, high maintainence Fenrir and Midgardsormr, who never spoke or did anything but eat and sleep. It had taken time to accept them but now they meant everything to him. If his daughter had been a turkey, he wouldn't have even minded.

Still, it was interesting...

X

"What have you done to Fenrir? Why?" Loki asked, staring at his brother.

Odin sighed. "I don't have a choice, Loki. He's too large. He doesn't fit in Asgard anymore. He eats everything, destroys buildings...we'll make sure to send someone to feed him daily but for now he's bound somewhere that you can't find him. He took off Tyr's hand in the process, further proving my point."

Loki began to cry. "What about Midgardsormr? What have you done to him?"

"He is long enough to circle Midgard, so we imprisoned him under the sea. There he cannot cause damage and he can partially uncoil without pain." Odin answered, knowing that he would lose his brother's respect after this. Still, he had a duty to keep Asgard in line. He seemed miserable.

The sea? Water was the worst...Loki could only utter his daughter's name. "Hel?"

"Hel has been given the duty to rule over the Underworld. Consider that an honor." Odin said. "Loki, this discussion is over. I'm sorry."

Loki looked around at the other gods, hoping that someone would object or at least meet his eyes. As he left the room, he found that not a single one did.

He rushed out of the throneroom and towards his own room. He was still crying when he noticed a single person waiting outside his door.

Long black hair fell down to her waist, and her violet eyes glanced up at him. She gasped and stood up quickly. "Loki! I think you're right, for what it's worth. Odin's just a big meanie."

Loki paused and glanced at her honest eyes. "Are you one of Freya's handmaidens?"

"No, I'm Sigyn, goddess of..." She paused. "Well, nothing yet!" She sweat-dropped. "All the cool things to rule over were taken already."

He glanced at the odd, ditzy woman and smiled slightly. "You really agree with me?" Someone was really on his side. Another god agreed with him.

"Of course." She said, clenching her fist. "They're your kids, not Odin's pets. He shouldn't put them away because they're troublesome. Sometimes children are just that way. I'd love to hear more about them, I'm afraid I mostly keep to myself so I don't hear much about the other gods..."

He stared at her for a full moment, feeling a warm feeling unlike anything he had felt before. "I'll tell you about them, why don't you come in?"

She smiled. "Okay!"

**X X X**

I hope this chapter didn't seem rushed. It's meant to be a little fast, because they're just brief memories. I really love this chapter and the next one (:

OOH! After the next chapter is posted, I'll be posting a huge oneshot (about this and already completed) that goes into more detail :P It'll be my 50th story (my 49th is being written right now!)

Thanks so much to every reviewer so far who has supported me so much in AOAA...next chapter at 106 reviews :D

Poll: How many more chapters do I have left for AOAA? Guess the total number of chapters at the end!

Next chapter:

__

"I'm going to make you a homecooked meal!"

_"You killed Baldur."_

_"I can't leave you like this, though...I don't know what to do with you."_

end nineteen


	21. Freedom

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, fluff, etc.  
Notes: This is one of my favorite chapters, too! There's a new oneshot I've just posted, my 50th fic, that continues on with this story.

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 20:

Freedom

"Midgardsormr, I'd like you to meet my new wife and your stepmother, Sigyn." Loki said, leaning over the cliff. The large snake rose from the water, startling Sigyn before her eyes softened at the serpent.

"Hello!" Sigyn said, reaching a hand out. "Could I touch you, Midgardsormr...?"

As usual, the snake didn't answer. Loki had never once heard Midgardsormr speak. Fenrir talked often and Hel was known to have conversations, but Midgardsormr was always silent. Loki knew nothing of his interests or hopes or anything. It was a little heartbreaking.

Midgardsormr bowed his head to the short goddess, allowing her to touch his scales.

Sigyn did so, smiling at the odd sensation. "Alright, Midgardsormr! I'm going to make you a homecooked meal!"

Loki and his son both blinked in surprise at this. Sigyn was going to do WHAT?

"It'll be the most delicious, wonderful meal ever!" Sigyn announced, before pausing. "Gosh, what do giant snakes eat?"

Loki sighed. "Sigyn..."

Midgardsormr watched the goddess with interest, amazed that she would actually be willing to do something for him. He wasn't used to such interaction. Sure, Loki visited occasionally but...

"I'll be back tomorrow! I'm going to read to you." Sigyn added as Loki waved goodbye, dragging Sigyn back to Asgard. "We're going to read lots of mystery novels, like Sherlock Holmes--"

X

"Loki, you are banished." Odin said, eyes glowing in a way they hadn't before.

"No! You can't--what about Sigyn? What about the twins? You can't force me to abandon Narfi and Vali like you forced me to abandon my other children! You just can't! Why, Odin? What have I done?" Loki asked, tearing up.

"You killed Baldur." Odin answered, red eyes not meeting Loki's green gaze.

"It was self-defense! No, you can't do this to me!" Loki said as he was flung from Asgard.

He landed on Midgard, his powers still remaining for now. He tried to think of his options. He didn't know how to return to Asgard, and Sigyn couldn't help him. He was alone.

_"Just like your children."_

Something inside him whispered.

_"The children you abandoned."_

Loki gripped his head, feeling utterly miserable and helpless. He should have never let Odin take his children; he should have freed them centuries ago. Everything was so wrong.

Consumed by his guilt, he tried to think of a solution._ "Go to Midgard until you can find a way back. You can use your remaining magic to build a home and you'll still have enough to defend yourself if he sends assassins. That one Midgard country with all the fish seems like a good option."_

That voice had to be his brain, he decided.

_"But won't it be lonely?"_

He felt his heart breaking again.

_"No Sigyn, no Narfi, no Vali, no Fenrir, no Hel, no Midgardsormr...you'll be all alone in a world you don't know."_ His brain reminded him.

He felt his heart beating rapidly. He had enough power to bring one of them with him. But Sigyn and the twins were still in Asgard, and he was already on Midgard. Hel was deep beneath him, guarding the afterlife. Odin would never harm her because her job was so precious. Fenrir also could defend himself easily--he had, after all, eaten Tyr's hand already.

But Midgardsormr...? He was a giant snake, but he was also quiet and peaceful. Loki often felt that he had done worse to Midgardsormr than his other children because Midgardsormr was in the middle. Loki and Angrboda's attention had always fallen to the other siblings.

He also couldn't be held and he didn't talk. He was the least fortunate of Loki's children.

Determined, Loki got to his feet and focused on transporting himself to Midgardsormr's location.

X

He finally reached the cliff overlooking the ocean. The giant snake rose to meet him, sadness in his eyes. Even Midgardsormr had heard of Loki's banishment.

"Midgardsormr, would you like to take a journey with me?" Loki asked.

The snake was again surprised. A journey with his father? His father had chosen him over Fenrir, Hel, Sleipnir, and the twins? Why? Maybe the others were hiding behind his father? The snake glanced around but was unable to see anyone else nearby.

"Please? I've been banished, but I don't want to be alone. I'm going to Midgard--to a nice country by the sea. I know you know the feeling of loneliness, and I want to make it up to you. Please, Midgardsormr." The god of fire said, lowering his head. "Let me free you and come with me."

Midgardsormr just nodded, though he wasn't sure what Loki's intentions were. It seemed too perfect--freedom? Real freedom from this hell?

"That's wonderful..." Loki said, incredibly relieved. "I hope this doesn't hurt. It'll only be like this until I find a solution." He used some of his magic to decrease the snake's size and break the prison. Picking up the now average-sized serpent, he headed to Midgard.

X

The old woman had died a natural death and her land was up for auction. There was no will or heirs.

The land wasn't expensive and the auction wasn't well-attended, so it was easy to conjure some yen and buy the large plot along the streets of Japan. The tall man with a snake on his shoulder stepped onto his newly purchased grounds and waved his hands, chanting something.

A neighbor living in a house down the street was surprised to find the next morning that a mansion had literally appeared overnight. A boy of about fourteen, with a snake on his shoulder, was nailing up a sign that said "Enjaku Detective Agency".

Loki sighed. "Midgardsormr, I'm becoming younger with the more magic I use. It's very odd...but hopefully with a detective agency, I'll be able to gather evil and gain my powers back. It shouldn't take long."

The snake just blinked.

"I can't leave you like this, though...I don't know what to do with you. I can't restore you to your normal size..." He entered the fully furnished mansion and fell onto a couch. "Any ideas?"

Midgardsormr glanced over at a bookshelf, remembering the books Sigyn had read to him. He slithered off Loki's shoulder and towards the shelf, knocking a book on the bottom row onto the floor.

Loki stood up and approached the book as the snake rolled on the pages, managing to flip them with his tail.

He finally reached the page in question and tapped his tail against it.

Loki picked the book and his son up, placing Midgardsormr on his shoulder, and began to read. "As soon as the princess kissed the frog, he became a handsome human man."

"You want to be human?" He asked, wondering if he had enough magic left. "Really?"

The snake hissed affirmatively.

The god sighed. "Okay, but it might hurt. You'll also have to learn speech, how to walk, how to--"

The snake put his tail in Loki's mouth and moved his head around, indicating that he understood what was necessary.

Loki placed Midgardsormr on the couch and stood up, moving away. "Okay, but no complaining later." As his son closed his eyes, ready for the worst, Loki tried to think of a spell.

He had never really considered turning his children into humans before because it seemed wrong to change who they were. After Odin imprisoned Fenrir and Midgardsormr, he feared that it would make Odin angry. After all, turning them into humans meant freeing them. Irritating his brother only meant pain for his children. Still, the situation called for it. Plus what could Odin do to them now? He had already been banished.

He made up the spell and invoked the ancient runes. He made sure to specify that clothes appear as well. His son began to tremble and make odd noises, hissing as his eyes spun around.

Loki watched in horror, wondering what he had done. Finally, a burst of light and smoke filled the room and a large THUMP met Loki's ears.

Loki blinked, glancing down at himself. He had become younger again. He had to be about nine now. He rolled up his sleeves and made his way through the smoke until he saw what he had done.

Midgardsormr had become a human man with long green hair. He was wearing a black suit thanks to the clothing specification Loki had added in on the spell. Midgardsormr was also on the floor, having rolled off the couch. Thus the thump.

As his son woke up, Loki found that Midgardsormr couldn't stand. "Are you feeling okay? It worked pretty well." Loki commented as the former snake became confused by his own hair.

The god in child form helped Midgardsormr up and smiled. "Now, as promised, I have to teach you how to talk and interact with humans. You'll need a name too."

The radio chimed in helpfully. "That's all we know about the strange string of robberies. Now here's Keiko Yamino with the weather."

A female voice replied. "Thank you, Ryusuke-san."

Loki and Midgardsormr exchanged glances. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all...

**X X X**

I really adore this chapter. I won't be describing more of the Yamino-becoming-human thing in this fic but I do have a oneshot I'm about to post (my 50th fic!) that goes into more detail. Please look at it!

After this chapter, we'll be headed back to our usual battling/assassin wonderfulness. Please stick with me! There are exactly ten more chapters, including the epilogue!

Next chapter at 111!! :0 That's such a great number. EDIT: I'm moving it to 113 since we're already at 110 and none of the regulars have reviewed yet (: I may post it at 111/112 anyway, but I'm only SURE that I'll update at 113...so you should review ;D

Poll: Which assassin do you think is coming next? I may have already said this, but test your memory!

Next chapter:

__

"Are you going to kill me?"

"I'm a big believer in balance."

"If you kill him, I certainly won't object."

end twenty


	22. The Arrival of the Strange Assassin, Hod

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, fluff, etc.  
Notes: Okay, we're back on track! I should note that I'm ignoring canon a bit because...well, you'll see at the end. It's minor. Enjoy, please! (:

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 21:

The Arrival of the Strange Assassin, Hod!!

Mayura let out a long breath. "Wow, Loki-kun. That's amazing. Poor Yamino-san."

Loki shrugged. "He learned things pretty quickly. I'm pretty proud of him."

Mayura held back a grin. "Loki-kun plays favorites."

The god of fire chuckled nervously. "You don't meant to imply that I like one child more than the others?"

"Mou, maybe I do mean to imply that..."

Loki glanced at her. "Don't tell the others."

Mayura giggled. "Of course not, Loki-kun!"

The doorbell rang and Mayura blinked. "Who is that?" She wondered, running to the door. Loki heard hushed conversation and the sound of the door closing again.

Mayura entered the room again and sighed. "Loki-kun has a visitor."

Yamino awkwardly followed her. "Loki-sama, I couldn't leave you alone." He explained.

Mayura muttered something about people always appearing when you were talking about them.

Loki looked between his lover and his son before embracing them both.

Mayura and Yamino exchanged glances, blushing madly as they protested the hug. Loki finally released them and leaned against the wall, smirking.

"I just wanted a last hug in case the big battle ends with my death." He explained.

His son and fiancee exchanged glances again.

"Loki-kun, you won't die."

Loki sighed. "I might."

Yamino bit his lip. "Loki-sama, please don't think that way."

Loki smiled slightly. "I'll try not to, but if it's the only way to stop Baldur then I'll sacrifice myself. It'd be worth it."

"Daddy can't hear this. Let's go to the dojo." Mayura suggested, exiting the room.

"You have a dojo, Mayura-san?" Yamino asked, surprised by this revelation. He and Loki followed her.

"The old shrineowner used to practice some weird martial arts. Daddy rents the dojo out now but my uncle teaches martial arts so whenever he visits, he uses our dojo for practice." She answered as they finally reached the large room.

Someone was already in it, wearing a pale blue outfit and smashing blocks of wood into small pieces with his head.

The silver-haired man looked up with a large smile. "Good evening." He said with a bow.

X

"It took you long enough, Hod." Loki muttered, glad that the shrine had heating. "Are you going to kill me?"

The silver-haired god glanced at Yamino and Mayura before shaking his head. "No, I'm not. To be totally honest, my original intentions were to kill you." He sat down on the floor of the dojo and continued his story.

"But as I was bringing the snowstorm of the century down upon Tokyo, I met a lovely woman and she taught me the wonders of Japan and love." He sighed dreamily. "I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic, you know. That's why you had to wait in the snow for over a week."

Mayura frowned. "So why did your new lover change your mind about killing Loki-kun...?"

Yamino was still looking pretty tense.

"I'm a big believer in balance." The god of winter replied, leaning back against the wall of the dojo. "I rule over snow and cold, while Loki rules over fire and heat."

"Your point?" Loki asked, wondering if he understood Hod's train of thought.

"If everything were cold and snowy, what would they compare it to? Everything has an opposite. There's air and sea, life and death, love and hate. Without hot, there is no cold. Without the god of fire, there is no god of winter." Hod explained, waving a hand as a glass of ice water appeared.

He drank it casually. "Loki and I have always had an unspoken agreement about this, and I see no reason to break it now. I have to obey Odin's orders, sure, but I volunteered to attack you this time. I didn't promise a death. My darling Japanese lover taught me that all life is valuable and that balance is the most important thing."

"Will you at least stop the snow, Mr. Hod?" Mayura requested, shivering slightly.

"Oh, what fun is that?" Hod chuckled before sighing. "Very well." He waved a hand and the snow outside the window instantly stopped.

"How do I know this isn't a secret plot to kill me or distract me?" Loki asked.

Hod rolled his eyes. "Heimdall may lower himself to those standards but I certainly wouldn't. I'll fight you at Ragnarok if I have to but I may as well save my energy while I can."

Yamino stared at him before turning to Loki. "I don't think he's lying, Loki-sama."

Hod sighed. "I really loathe that Heimdall. He calls me a priss and a coward. I'm just not into fighting like the others are." He commented. "If you kill him, I certainly won't object."

Loki couldn't resist smiling slightly. Even Heimdall's allies were annoyed by his temper.

"At Ragnarok, I will fight you however I am ordered to." Hod said, standing up and approaching Loki. He was much shorter and less intimidating than the god of fire. "But if you should win, I will gladly surrender without a fight. During the fight itself, though, I've discovered this wonderful Japanese set of martial arts that I'm dying to try out."

Yamino smiled slightly, taken in by the god of winter's surprisingly warm personality. "I also practice some martial arts. They're wonderful."

Hod nodded in agreement. "Heimdall wishes to kill you, Loki, so be careful. I will see you soon." He vanished in a flurry of snow.

Loki turned to Yamino and Mayura. "Hod isn't such a bad guy after all."

"No, he isn't..." Mayura said, glancing out the window. "I wish he were Loki-kun's ally."

Yamino sighed.

**X X X**

Hod is a very sophisticated, interesting character...I love how different he is from the other gods. He really gets the big picture...you'll see more of him sooner than you'd think. Ragnarok is very near...

Ooh, almost forgot! 117 before the update ;D Remember, approx 31 chapters total...would love to reach 150 reviews before the end...think we can do it?

Chapter poll: What do you think of Hod?

Next chapter:

__

"You will obey my orders."

__

"You have to kill Baldur."

"Maybe you shouldn't even come."

end twenty-one


	23. The Rainbow Bridge

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, fluff, etc.  
Notes: OMFGFGREOMTHEHO!! LAST CHAPTER BEFORE THE FINAL BATTLE! Enjoy :D

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 22:

The Rainbow Bridge

"It's time to go kill Loki." Heimdall hissed, ready to leave Asgard for Midgard.

"No." Koutarou said, crossing his arms. "Odin and I have agreed that Ragnarok is approaching too quickly. Loki keeps escaping the assassins so we've decided to wait until it arrives."

"What do you mean?" Ran asked, enraged.

"Quiet!" Odin ordered, pounding his fist on the table. "Baldur and I agree that if we keep sending assassins out, we'll waste energy. We can only defeat Loki when all his allies are occupied. War is the only way to go."

"I was supposed to kill him!" Heimdall growled. "It's my right!"

"I want to kill Idunn before the battle begins." Ran added, narrowing her eyes.

"I said quiet!" Odin yelled, and the entire library trembled. "You will obey my orders."

Koutarou smirked from his chair.

"Where will the war be?" Hod asked.

"The throneroom." Frigg replied. She was the beautiful curly-haired queen of the gods. "It's many Midgard acres wide and has a high ceiling. We should battle there."

Angrboda nodded. "Yes, I agree. When will Ragnarok arrive?"

"The day after tomorrow." Odin said ominously. "Will our plant inform him of this?"

Ken twirled around in his chair until he was facing the king of the gods. "Of course I will."

X

"Odin wants a war the day after tomorrow? Fine, we're game! I'll call Bragi." Idunn said, leaving the room.

Japan was back to its usual climate and Ken had delivered some big news upon arrival.

"You really managed to spy on Koutarou without getting caught? That's impressive." Verdandi said with a smile. Skuld nodded and blushed.

"You're very talented, Narfi." The blonde Norn said sweetly.

Ken was blushing too.

Now Loki's allies were trying to prepare themselves mentally.

"Mou, can I really fight Angrboda?" Mayura wondered.

Noriko nodded. "Yes, you can. You can defeat her, Mayura. I'll take down Freya."

"Ran is mine." Idunn said, entering the room again.

"Let me have Baldur." Ken said, effectively silencing the room. "Please."

Fenrir frowned. "I don't know that we can trust you, frankly. You always make weird comments and stuff. Let Vali take 'im."

Urd shook her head, fingering her wedding ring. "Narfi must do this."

Fenrir eyed her uncertainly. "Why?"

Urd sighed. "I cannot say..."

The group continued to discuss their battle plans, each suggesting a strategy. When everyone finally left for their own homes, Minoru and Mayura remained behind.

"Dad, are we going to survive this?" Minoru asked. "I'm not very good at fighting."

Mayura shook her head. "Minoru-san can't think like that! We're going to win. After all, you have Detective Mayura Daidouji on your side!"

"What if we don't win?" Minoru wondered. He was imagining some gruesome fate that involved blood and guts.

"We will." Loki said with a sigh. "We have to."

"How will we get to Asgard, anyway?" Mayura asked.

"Idunn knows how." Yamino explained with a smile, handing Mayura a cup of tea.

She drank her tea and made a mental note not to forget her magical mirror. She would need Sigyn's advice if she wanted to survive.

X

"Okay, Idunn, we're ready." Loki said, gazing at the group of gods and demigods behind him. Mayura was clinging to his arm, her long purse (filled with mace and the mirror) swaying slightly in the breeze of Midgard.

"I'll be back, Daddy." She whispered to the wind, hoping it wasn't a lie.

"Loki-sama, don't worry. Everything will work out well." Yamino assured his nervous father. "If you manage to drain Odin's evil, won't the other gods stop fighting?"

"If you drain the evil planted in Odin by Baldur, it'll help but it won't be enough to end it." Noriko said, her long golden hair flowing behind her. "You have to kill Baldur."

"I'll do it." Ken said, fingering the sword he'd been given. Everyone was holding a weapon of some sort. "I promise you, Loki, I'll kill Baldur." He glanced up at his father and gave him a slight smile.

Minoru was shaking as he held his own sword. "I can...um...I guess..."

"Maybe you shouldn't even come." Narugami suggested and Fenrir nodded in agreement. "You don't really seem up to fighting."

"No." Skuld said. "He has a part larger than you can imagine. Just stay alive until it arrives, Minoru." She advised.

Ken swallowed. "Can we go now, Mom?" He asked, turning to Idunn.

The goddess of youth approached him and gave him a huge hug. "Be careful." She ordered.

Then the brunette goddess turned to her allies and looked around. "I can take us directly to my orchards in Asgard but I cannot go directly to the throneroom." She said, remembering what Ken had mentioned about the battle's planned location. "But there is a way to get there directly." She said, looking around.

"Which is?" Fenrir asked impatiently.

"Bifrost." Idunn replied with the largest smirk she'd ever used. "The rainbow bridge."

"How do we get there?" Mayura asked, confused. "You can't touch rainbows...plus, the ends are hard to find..."

"We piss the goddess of water off." Idunn answered, looking towards the sky. "Hey, Ran! I can't wait to cut off your pretty hair and kick your sorry arse! How will it feel knowing the goddess of apples defeated you, ruler of the seas?"

Thunder struck nearby but the sky did not darken. A small drizzle began.

"Maybe I'll chuck an apple at your head! You need all the youth you can get, you old hag!" Idunn added.

Thunder cackled again.

Idunn smirked. "Is your hair a wig? If it is, it is the ugliest thing I've seen in my whole life. You'd be better off putting a turtle on your head."

Rain began to pour intensely and a rainbow appeared in the sky.

"Mom, that was awesome." Ken whispered. "How do we find the rainbow?"

"Hey, Ran, why don't you move the rainbow closer so I can come up there and see what you're made of, ugly?! Although I already know what you're full of!" Idunn screamed and the sky growled.

The rainbow's edge appeared by Idunn's feet.

"See, you just need a little discussion with the other gods." Idunn said, stepping on the rainbow and heading towards Asgard.

"Isn't Heimdall supposed to guard this bridge?" Narugami asked Loki as everyone started climbing the bridge.

"I'm sure he's preoccupied with the upcoming battle." Loki said, looking at the empty end of the bridge on the Asgard side.

**X X X**

Kyaarainbow bridge! Rainbow bridge! Idunn demonstrates her usefulness again...

I updated sooner than I originally intended to because I need to warn you guys of something re: the next few chapters...

But FIRST, a note about reviews! I will either update at 122 reviews **OR** on Halloween. Because, frankly, I think it'd be awesome to start the battle on Halloween but I don't want to leave you guys in suspense if you're enthusiastic enough to review quickly ;D

Now two notes for you readers...

1) I've updated Mythical Detective Mayura (over a week ago now) and only had one review! It's a great chapter, too! Full of Freya-y goodness... The story is now almost complete (two more chapters to write) so I can update on a regular schedule again, but I want to know if anyone's still reading it. ;-;

2) For All Out Assassin Attack (aka THIS STORY), you should really reread/scan any chapters that you can't recall. I can't post a summary of everything that's happened already and if you remember the story's beginning, you'll enjoy the battle scenes all the more.

Chapter poll: What day of the week should I update this story on? Saturdays? Mondays? Fridays? Tuesdays?

Next chapter...the battle begins!:

_"Welcome to Ragnarok, Loki."_

_"It's a man's duty to his wife." _

_"It's a battle to the death."_

end twenty-two


	24. The Marble Palace

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, fluff, etc.  
Notes: The final battle begins!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 23:

The Marble Palace

The marbled ceiling matched the white marble floor and the entire throneroom glittered with prestige and the scent of royalty. This was Odin's favorite room in Asgard, it was the pride of the gods. Everything but the throne itself was lined up against the walls. Statues of the important gods, paintings, framed documents...

Koutarou knew it would be destroyed before the battle was over. He was standing beside Odin's throne as the king of the gods himself sat upon it. On Odin's other side was a very angry Heimdall, foaming at the mouth for revenge.

Angrboda was behind Koutarou, running her fingers against her long sword. Ran was nearby, still trying to calm down after Idunn's threats--loud enough to be heard in Asgard.

Tyr was inspecting his sword while Hod tied a black belt around his white suit. Freyr and Freya were fighting right behind Heimdall, causing the vein on his forehead to grow even larger.

Last but not least, Sleipnir was standing directly behind Koutarou, watching him with a gaze of distrust. The blonde god smiled at the demigod, who did not even blink in reply.

An assortment of other gods who agreed with the king's orders had assembled themselves behind the throne and were waiting for Loki while gossiping about how the battle would turn out. It was an army.

"Ah, they're here." Odin announced as the wide doors parallel to the throne burst open and Loki entered with his allies behind him.

Ken, at the very back, nodded to Koutarou who smiled wider in return. Things were working out as planned.

"Welcome to Ragnarok, Loki." Odin greeted, his eyes still glowing an odd red unlike their usual shade. This was a clear sign of his possession. "This is your final chance. Surrender now and you will not find yourself and your family dead."

Loki glanced back at the group, wondering what would happen if he did surrender. Surely things wouldn't go back to the usual. They never could after this.

Mayura was overwhelmed and scared but she took that moment to step up and answer Odin. "We won't surrender because Loki-kun isn't wrong."

Odin raised an eyebrow and Angrboda smirked, stepping towards Mayura. The pink-haired girl backed up into the crowd as Angrboda followed her. Odin didn't stop her, instead he stood up himself.

"Well, Sigyn, the time of your death has arrived. Let the games begin!" Angrboda screamed, rushing at Mayura with her sword as the battle erupted.

The assistant detective ducked Angrboda's swings as she avoided running into Narugami as he battled Tyr.

Swords were clashing all over the room and everyone seemed determined to kill his or her opponent...except Yamino.

"You really have learned martial arts well." Yamino noticed, sliding across the floor to avoid a kick from Hod.

"Yes, well, the lovely Japanese woman taught me well." The god of winter replied surprisingly warmly. He didn't seem interested in Yamino's death and the strange martial arts battle continued as the pair flipped and struck each other with wooden swords.

Noriko was standing nearby, watching. After verifying that Yamino did not need help, she moved through the crowd of battling gods--Fenrir had just thrown someone across the room--towards Narugami, determined to help her husband.

Unfortunately for her, she was struck on the cheek by a long, thin sword before she could reach him. She grabbed her cheek in pain and gazed at her bloody hand.

Her attacker stepped forward, sword extended. Noriko backed through the crowd of gods, feeling someone else's sword brush against her arm. Her attacker walked with her.

"Angrboda is taking out Sigyn." The melodic voice explained. "Idunn and Ran are having a fight unlike anything I've witnessed." A golden curl slid down Freya's face. "Sif, we seem to be the only ones without specific fights to fight. Don't you think it's only right that we fight as the two golden-haired goddesses?"

Noriko gave her a tiny grin, pulling her sword out of her boot. "Alright, Freya, but I have to warn you."

"Warn me of what?" Freya asked, clearly not amused.

"I'm going to win!"

X

Noriko and Freya seemed to be evenly matched. The goddess of love was quite determined to win, but Thor's wife was more talented in battle.

Noriko struck Freya with her sword, cutting the bottom of her dress. Freya growled. "This was a gift from Loki four centuries ago!" She hissed, coming at Noriko with new hatred.

"This form sucks!" Noriko muttered before realizing that she could turn back into her goddess form at any point. She grinned madly. "Hey, Freya..." She took a deep breath and grew in height. Her golden ponytail unraveled itself.

Freya growled. "How dare you destroy my Loki's gift to me? I will kill you for this!" She screamed, apparently still upset about her dress.

Sif gasped as Freya came at her with incredible force. The anger of the goddess of love was more intense than any other force she could think of.

Frying pans appeared, hitting Sif repeatedly until she found herself dizzy and slumped against a wall.

"Just because you're Thor's wife doesn't mean you can fight." Freya said with a large sigh. "I suppose I have to kill you like Odin ordered." She opened her mouth to say one last insult before falling over unconscious. Her form shifted back to Reiya and the sword fell to the ground with a clang. Someone had hit her with the back of a sword, knocking her unconscious.

Sif looked up as her form shifted back to that of Noriko. This skin felt more comfortable and more...real to her than her godly form ever had. "I guess I've always been a teenage girl at heart." She chuckled, looking up to see who had saved her. "I guess this was my true form all along, huh?"

Narugami rolled his eyes as Tyr looked around for his opponent in the background. "You've always seemed fine to me the way you are, Sif." He answered, holding out a hand to help her up. She accepted it, standing beside her husband.

"Thank you, Thor. I'm sorry that I teased you back on Midgard about being romantic. I really missed you." She apologized awkwardly.

Narugami shrugged. "It's a man's duty to his wife." He said. "You should probably take Reiya away from here before you two end up getting killed." He noticed the look on her face. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I have to live through this battle...after all, I promised our boss at the candy shop that I'd be in on Tuesday." He grinned.

Noriko laughed, her gaze softening. "Fine, but don't be late! I won't cover your shift." She picked Reiya up and left the battle as Tyr finally found his opponent.

X

Narugami grinned as Mjollnir hit Tyr's long sword with a burst of lightening. Both gods backed away then ran at each other again, sending sparks all over the room.

Tyr was also smirking madly, thrilled with the battle. "Thor, this is the finest battle I've ever had." He said, swinging the sword at him.

Narugami blocked with the great hammer and aimed a blast of thunder at the god of war.

Tyr dodged, driving his sword towards Narugami's feet. Narugami moved out of the way quickly and met Tyr's sword.

"Rynkar won't stop us this time." Narugami added.

"It's a battle to the death." Tyr replied, making a motion towards Narugami's stomach with his sword. The god of thunder blocked it and tried to force the sword back towards its master.

"I don't want to kill you...then who would I brag to?" Narugami asked.

Tyr chuckled. "True, but Odin has ordered that I end you. If you're still alive when Loki or Odin falls, then we can fight differently."

"Fair enough." Narugami agreed, spinning Mjollnir and releasing Tyr's sword. "Until then, let's fight."

**X X X**

Gaaah, sorry about the late...I didn't get my desired number of reviews so I told myself to wait until Halloween but I promptly forgot about this. I'm only asking for five reviews before the next update...that's a total of 125. Hope you enjoyed! The fight scenes really do improve as we go on.

Next chapter...the battle continues!:__

"Is that all you can do?"

"Hello, little brother."

"I am a bit mad."

end twenty-three


	25. Aqua

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, cursing, etc.  
Notes: The final battle continues! Who fights next?

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 24:

Aqua

Water splashed everywhere, soaking various gods as they fought. A single goddess leaped over them, landing in a secluded corner of the enormous throneroom. "Is that all you can do?" Idunn asked, fingering her basket of apples.

Ran approached, dripping with water and rage. She screamed in anger and sent a blast of freezing water at Idunn.

The brunette goddess dodged, sliding across the floor. "C'mon, I thought I was going to be in for it. Can you try harder?"

"Certainly!" Her opponent yelled, sending a blast of boiling water at the goddess of youth.

Idunn ducked, letting the water hit the wall behind her. It melted through.

"Ick." She commented, glad that Ran missed.

"How about acid rain? That sounds fun!" Ran said, clearly insane now with hatred for Idunn.

Idunn lifted her sword as the stream of acidic water came towards her, blocking it. She turned to her sword, which had now melted completely. She dropped it in surprise.

"Crap."

"Yes, indeed!" Ran hissed, raising her hands to the sky. A cloud formed inside the throneroom and headed towards Idunn, soaking her to the bone with frigid water and hail.

The goddess of youth shivered. "Y-you w-won't defeat me l-like t-t-t-this!" She stuttered.

Ran waved her hand and the water rose from the puddles around Idunn and froze, sticking her to the wall.

"Oh really? Now what was that threat you mentioned?" Ran asked, stepping towards her victim. "You were going to cut my hair."

The goddess of water walked right up to Idunn and grabbed her collar. Water flowed from her hand and froze, forming a sword made entirely of ice.

She glanced at the frozen apples, stuck inside the block of ice with Idunn. "What a pity to kill you. I'm sure Bragi can manage the apples alone, though. You are the most useless goddess of all. Your job isn't even necessary. I rule the seas, the rain, and the very lives of those who drink water. What can you do? Raise demonic spawn--" She gestured towards Ken, who was battling Koutarou. "And grow apples. Good job, Idunn. Now before I kill you, I think I'll cut your hair."

She waved a hand and the ice partially melted, exposing Idunn's brown locks.

Ran picked up the remains of Idunn's sword and held the small blade to her opponent's hair.

"Hmph." Idunn said, closing her eyes. "It's almost sad, y'know."

"That your death is coming?" Ran asked, smirking.

"Nah." Idunn shrugged. "How easy this is."

The golden apples of immortality began to glow from inside the ice, melting it away. Idunn grabbed the small sword and swung it at Ran, managing to cut off the goddess of water's long blue hair. It was left just below her ears.

"No! No!" Ran cried in agonizing despair. "You will perish for this!" She bellowed, a storm forming above her.

The rain swirled around the pair, clearly reflective of Ran's insanity over having her hair cut and partially losing to Idunn.

"You can insult me all you want, but when you insulted Narfi, you were just asking for this." Idunn said through the drops of rain. "You think I'm useless? Suck on this, bitch!" She tossed a golden apple at the enraged Ran, summoning all her strength to do so.

It hit the water goddess directly in the forehead with more force than expected, knocking her unconscious. The storm instantly stopped and Ran fell to the ground.

Idunn stepped over her opponent's unconscious body and smirked. "Wanna see my favorite part of being the goddess of youth?" She asked, waving a hand. Ran shrunk in size and shape, becoming a small girl of about eight or nine.

The brunette goddess smirked, running a hand through her hair. She dragged Ran out of the throneroom, piling her up outside with the other unconscious gods whom Loki's side had already defeated.

When she headed back in, a hideous giant approached her. "Hey, girlie." He said, teeth exposed. "Ready to die?"

Idunn raised an eyebrow, glancing at her half-sword. "Funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing..."

**X X X**

D: I didn't get my five reviews...but I hate leaving those of you who do review without updates, so I'm only giving you a third of a full chapter! :0 Please give me 127 this time though, okay? ;-;

Next chapter: The battle continues...who is Freyr fighting? Plus the truth about Fenrir's curse is revealed!!

end twenty-four


	26. Breakin' Down the Castle

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, cursing, etc.  
Notes: The final battle continues! Who fights next?

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 25:

Breakin' Down the Castle

Fenrir knocked a random god over and looked around, wondering where Urd was. He spotted her fighting with her sisters nearby and sighed in relief. He was strong as a human but he didn't have magical abilities and he worried about being able to protect her. Fortunately it seemed that she was able to care for herself.

"Hello, little brother."

Fenrir turned around rapidly to face Sleipnir. His older brother smirked, dropping his long sword. "Fenrir, you don't know how long I've been waiting for your death. Despite the fact that I'm mother's oldest, she always doted on you instead." He said, referring to Loki.

The former-wolf smirked. "There's a good reason the old man liked me more than you. You've always been Odin's toy. You have no thoughts or opinions of your own."

Sleipnir frowned. "I certainly have an opinion of you, you disgusting excuse for a demigod."

"Ouch." Fenrir said, chuckling. "That really hurt. I see you dropped your sword--you don't want to fight me?"

Sleipnir shook his head. "We shall fight in a different way. Don't you know who cast the spell on you that made you human?"

Fenrir froze. "You know who did it? Who was it?" He wasn't sure what he would do when he found out. On one hand, he hated the bastard for doing such a thing to him...on the other hand, humanity wasn't as bad as he originally thought it'd be. Through humanity, he'd discovered love and all those crazy...exciting human emotions. "Did you do it? Sleipnir!"

"No, I didn't." Sleipnir smiled. "Baldur did...it was a brilliant idea, too. With you distracted by your humanity, we were able to make our moves. Now that Ragnarok has arrived, however, I will release you from the spell so we can fight as we were meant to. Baldur has agreed to give me that power." He snapped his fingers.

Both brothers' forms twisted and grew until they had become the giant wolf and eight-legged horse of legends.

The two began to fight, hooves against paws.

Gods underneath them moved to avoid being crushed.

Urd tried to watch but the battle was too pressing. She was forced to remain focused on her fight. She bit her lip as she defeated one of Freya's servants. "Please be safe." She whispered.

Fenrir bit Sleipnir, who shrieked in pain and smacked him with a great hoof. Both were bleeding now as they bit and kicked each other over the heads of the other gods.

Frigg, queen of the gods, watched the fight and chanted some words. The pair vanished and reappeared outside the castle, where they resumed their fight.

"Just because Ragnarok is here doesn't mean my house needs to be ruined." Frigg muttered, dusting a vase as a god flew past her head and hit the wall.

Fur flew everywhere as Sleipnir kicked Fenrir repeatedly outside. Fenrir finally forced the horse to stop his kicks with a swift scratch to his front legs.

Neighs and growls rang throughout Asgard...

X

"Gullinbursti, mine pig, do not take prisoners! She is a formidable opponent!" Freyr shouted as his pig flew viciously at its target.

"Heh, like you could stop me that way." His opponent said, pressing a button on a box. A large boxing glove flew out of the box, hitting Gullinbursti with enough force to send him flying into a wall near a suit of armor. Frigg hurried to remove the pig from her wall.

"This is unfair! Your inventions are truly insane...how do you expect this one to stand up to them?" Freyr asked angrily.

Verdandi chuckled, sitting on a pile of metal as Urd fought off other gods behind her. "I am a bit mad." She admitted.

Freyr frowned. "Try this! A bomb barrage!" He said, taking small round balls out of his pockets and tossing them at her.

They quickly exploded, but Verdandi had hidden behind her inventions--some of which were now deep-fried.

"Freyr, you wrecked my mallet-tosser! Look." Verdandi said, pressing a button on one crisped metal invention. A mallet fell out halfheartedly.

"Ha! This is why you shouldn't mess with Freyr." The god of fertility said cheerfully. "Now, Gullinbursti, finish her off!" He shouted, sending the flying pig at the Norn of the present.

The pig, now recovered (and polished by Frigg), flew at her with amazing speed.

She fished in her pile for a suitable weapon and smirked. "Aha!" She took out a long weapon. "This'll do."

"Is that what Freyr thinks it is?" Freyr asked, eyes widening.

Verdandi grinned madly as she shot the bazooka-like weapon at Gullinbursti. The pig's eyes widened as the small rocket made impact, sending him flying into Freyr. Both hit the wall and fell unconscious to the ground.

The brunette Norn watched this and chuckled. "Amateur."

**X X X**

Yay, thank you for all the reviews (: Sorry that this took so long~~update again at 132. Thanks for the loyalty, guys! In all honesty, I require a specific number of reviews so I don't forget to update--stories that I promise to update weekly are often forgotten *coughhack* but when I get the reviews in my email inbox, I remember that I need to update. :P

Frigg was going to be a serious character, but I couldn't resist letting her provide comic relief instead. She'll just be running around, trying to prevent her castle's destruction.

Next chapter: OMG!! Fangirl moment: the next chapter may be my favorite. Angrboda faces Mayura!!

end twenty-five


	27. Mayura and Angrboda Clash!

Warnings: OOCness, OCs, lack of spellcheck, cursing, etc.  
Notes: The final battle continues! Who fights next? This might be my favorite chapter. ;D

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 26:

Mayura and Angrboda Clash! The Ladies' Battle

Mayura dodged Angrboda's swings, avoiding Narugami as he battled Tyr.

The giantess was sweating more every second as she attacked Mayura.

The pink-haired girl ducked and Angrboda's sword hit the wall with a clang.

Mayura gulped as Angrboda's face turned red with rage.

She began to run as Angrboda shouted her frustrations.

"You always take him from me! Why can't you leave Loki to me? He's mine, you brat! Not yours. He was mine first, and he shall die mine!"

The sword narrowly missed Mayura at this point as she headed out of the mob of fighting gods.

"You can have Midgardsormr and Fenrir! Hel, too! They mean nothing!" Angrboda cried, tears flowing from her eyes as she tried to murder Mayura. "Just give me Loki. He's all I want! Give him to me, you disgusting excuse for a woman!"

"_You're_ disgusting! Mou, how can you treat your children like that?" Mayura finally spoke up, turning around. "You act like they're worthless."

"They are." Angrboda hissed. "They betrayed me for you. What use do I have of them? They're pathetic. I'm ashamed of them."

"Well, I'm proud of them! Yamino-san is a wonderful person." The detective answered, narrowing her eyes.

Angrboda struck a wall in an attempt to hit Mayura.

"They aren't even people, you fool. They're monsters! I wish I had never given birth to them. I don't want them, let them rot! I only desire Loki. I never asked to bring a wolf, a snake, and a deformed goddess into this world." The blue-haired giantess sobbed. "They disgust me almost as much as you do, Sigyn."

"I'm not Sigyn."

Angrboda's eyes widened in anger. "You wish to rub in the fact that you have taken my love in two lives? How dare you! Perish, Sigyn!"

Mayura shrieked and reached into her bag. She aimed the can of mace at Angrboda and sent a stream of it into the giantess' eyes.

Angrboda howled in pain and dropped her sword. "Sigyn!" She growled angrily, her rage echoing throughout the throneroom.

Mayura backed into a corner and dropped the empty can of mace. She took the magic mirror out of her bag and shook it. "Sigyn, I need your help. Sigyn!"

She began to cry. "Sigyn, answer me, please..."

The mirror just glittered defiantly. Sigyn did not appear.

"I may not be able to see but I can smell you, Sigyn. The scent of betrayal is all over you. Every man who sees you betrays me for you. Every _person _and every monster." Angrboda said, picking her sword up and approaching Mayura.

Mayura continued shaking the mirror and sobbing. "Sigyn! You need to come out! I don't know what to do."

Angrboda finally reached her and lifted her sword. "It is finally time to die, Sigyn."

Mayura cried harder, knowing she had no way to escape. She was afraid. Angrboda was faster and stronger with more battle experience. Even if she ran from the corner, she would end up dying soon. Things were looking so hopeless.

Could things really end this way? There was so much that she still wanted...so much she still desired.

"But first I have one question for you." Angrboda's eyes flashed with undeniable hatred despite their lack of focus. "When you made my children betray me, when you pretended to be kind to gain the favor of all my allies, when you stole my Loki...why did you have the right to do those things? You claim not to be Sigyn. Who do you think you are?"

The pink-haired girl's eyes widened as she remembered something. It was a flash of pure brilliance, something she was quite due for. What had Ken said?

__

"Wait! You have to be careful with this. If you turn it upside down so the handle is up..."

She turned the mirror upside down and let it face Angrboda. "I'm Detective Mayura Daidouji!" She replied.

__

"...whoever it's facing will be trapped inside the mirror!"

Angrboda hissed in pain and let out an agonizing scream as she was sucked into the mirror. Her legs were pulled in first, followed by her torso and arms, with her head distorting as it went in last.

Mayura watched as the giantess was pulled into the glass, her sword falling to the ground with a small ping.

Inside the mirror, Angrboda shouted and shrieked but no one could hear her. She banged on the glass but went unheard.

Mayura posed in her triumph. "Case closed!"

**X X X**

Update at 137! Kyaaa...I love this chapter. Hope it lived up to your expectations!

EDIT: yes, I messed up the title originally. ;D Fixed.

Next chapter: Odin and Loki battle!

end twenty-six


	28. King

Notes: D: I was so excited because I thought we were a chapter ahead of where we actually are...thus, you may be getting a double update this week! For now, let's start with this!

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 27:

King

As Odin avoided backing into the throne, Loki met his sword with his staff.

The king of the gods smirked as soon as they were in the mostly empty area behind the throne. "Loki, we haven't fought like this in a long time."

Loki frowned. "No, we haven't because you aren't really like this." He hit Odin's leg with his staff and his brother cut his leg in turn with his sword.

Loki fell back in surprise.

Odin sighed. "Of course I've always been like this. Unspeakably cruel." He held his sword before him and wiped some of Loki's blood off. "Remember when I imprisoned your children?"

Loki turned red with that memory but tried to ignore his rage. "You were doing it to protect the other gods! It wasn't the right thing to do but I understand why you felt you had to. I remember how you looked that day--you looked so pained! You didn't want to hurt my children or me like that."

Odin opened his mouth to reply before blinking rapidly and narrowing his eyes. "All that has changed, Loki! Without your presence in Asgard, the gods have become divided! Even Thor betrayed me!" He visibly winced.

Loki had forgotten Odin's intense devotion to his favorite son. The pair usually got along well, but since Loki's banishment and Narugami's choice to take his side, they hadn't even spoken.

Heimdall watched from the other side of the throne room, determined to defeat Loki himself. He was about to interrupt the fight when someone tapped his shoulder.

He turned around, contemplating murder if it was Freyr ruining his plans for some dumb takoyaki discussion.

But it wasn't Freyr. In fact, Freyr was currently unconscious, courtesy of Verdandi.

"Skuld, leave me alone! I have to kill Loki." Heimdall growled at her.

The blonde Norn shook her head. "Loki needs to fight his brother. I'll fight you instead."

He ignored her and turned away, heading towards Loki. She snapped her fingers in reply and he fell to the ground, asleep.

"That was easy..." Skuld commented with a sigh. "We won't meet again, Heimdall." Heimdall was not as bad as he seemed, and he had faithfully protected Asgard for millenia. The future Norn knew that his death would be problematic, so it was best to use a spell on him for now. She smiled slightly and walked back to her sisters, confident that the watcher god would wake up in a few hours. By then, it would all be over.

Meanwhile, Loki's fight with Odin had progressed and both were now sweating as their weapons clashed.

"Why did you banish me, Odin?" Loki asked.

"Because you killed Baldur!" Odin answered, gritting his teeth.

The god of fire frowned even more. "Odin, it was self-defense! He was going to kill me."

"You provoked him!" His brother cried.

"No, I didn't! He came after me specifically to kill me and when I killed him instead, he came back for revenge. He took on a new form, befriended me, possessed you, and now he's trying to kill us all! Odin, you're not ruling the gods anymore--Baldur is!"

"You're lying!"

"No, I'm not!" Loki said angrily. "Odin, why would Thor be on my side if I were wrong?"

The white-haired king of the gods fought back tears over Narugami's betrayal and shook his head. "You're lying!" He dropped his sword and covered his ears. "Thor would never side against me! I'm always right...I'm always..."

"Time to remove your evil." Loki said, swinging his staff at Odin and using the old runes to invoke its power. A dark cloud emerged from Odin and was sucked into Loki's staff. His eyes became a pale red and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

Loki sighed. "Well, you should be back to normal when you wake up. Now I just need to find Baldur."

X X X

This chapter is really short and fast-paced. :d I hope you enjoyed it anyway--there are four chapters, an epilogue, and an optional epilogue left! I aim to finish it before my 5th ff anniversary but you people know how I am with dates and remembering to update...thank you so much for sticking with me this far!


	29. Deathbed

All Out Assassin Attack

Chapter 28:

Deathbed

Ken stood by the doors to the throneroom and looked straight across the hall. Koutarou stood beside the throne, twisting his sword in his hands.

Ken stepped aside as gods fought around him. He narrowly missed being hit by Angrboda's sword at one point. He watched the giantess fight Mayura and felt thankful for the mirror he'd given her earlier. It would definitely come in handy now.

After all, this was where all the plans would meet their fruition. He had worked with Koutarou on this plot for years and now it would finally end. _He_ would meet his death and balance would be restored.

Ken passed Yamino, who glanced at him. Noticing Hod's lack of commitment to the fight, Ken stepped in. "Give this to Loki when the battle's over." He instructed, handing him a sealed envelope. "Just in case things go wrong."

Yamino frowned at him, wondering what he was planning. He finally nodded, pocketing the envelope and continuing his fight.

The black-haired god finally approached the throne and stood a yard away from Koutarou. "Looks like this is the moment." He said, looking up at the ceiling and the grand chandelier in the center of it. Crystals sparkled on the intense symbol of the gods' power and wealth.

Then he turned back to Koutarou. "Are you ready?"

The blonde god smirked in response. "Answer me first. Are you the god of darkness and night, Narfi?"

Ken nodded. "Yes, I am."

Koutarou looked up at the chandelier and watched the lights shimmer through the crystals.

"Very well, let's fight." He finally said, running at Ken.

Their swords met with a mighty crash. Both gods held their own, not allowing the other to reach their flesh.

"Minoru is our main goal, don't forget." Ken whispered as Koutarou's sword narrowly missed his face. "Hey, that was cutting it close."

Koutarou aimed his sword at Ken without mercy. "I wanted it closer." He said darkly.

"What do you mean?" Ken asked, backing away as Koutarou cut through a vase. Ken did fairly well with magic, but with swords he could barely hold his own. Koutarou's sudden change of strength made it difficult for him to fight back.

Koutarou knocked Ken's sword from his hands and continued attacking viciously as the other god dodged.

Frigg gasped in horror as her beloved suit of armor fell to the ground, destroyed.

As the queen of the gods ran to rescue her artwork, Ken ducked to avoid a particularly nasty swing.

"What happened to our plan?" Ken asked nervously. "I don't even have my sword anymore."

"This _is_ the plan!" Koutarou insisted, recklessly swinging at Ken.

Ken gasped slightly as Odin collapsed beside the throne, purified by Loki. "Loki saved Odin! Everything's going to work out like we planned--" He began, excited.

Time seemed to freeze but Rynkar was nowhere nearby. Loki turned to watch their fight just as Koutarou's sword made contact.

Ken choked as Koutarou struck his sword through the black-haired god's chest, narrowly missing his heart.

Koutarou didn't even pull the sword out. Instead he stood up straight, glaring down at Ken as the god of darkness fell to the ground. "It's a pity. You were superior to the others, you know." He wandered into the crowd in search of his next victim.

Loki yelled something and ran to Ken, sitting by his youngest son's side.

"Loki..." Ken whispered, glancing up at him lazily. "I am such a moron."

Loki's eyes widened. "No, you're not! Ken, do not die--" He remembered the time Ken's shadow clone had been "killed" in the fight with Sleipnir. The pain of that moment resurfaced as he grasped his son's warm hand. Could a shadow have this warmth? He didn't think it was possible. It had to be the real Ken.

"I was working with him, you know. We had this great plan all worked out...no one would have to die for it and everything would be peaceful in the end. Guess Koutarou changed his mind." Ken laughed hoarsely, coughing.

Slightly shocked by this revelation, Loki began to cry despite himself. "Ken..."

"My plan wouldn't have worked anyway. No endings are totally happy, you know. Sometimes you have to sacrifice yourself for the good of others." Ken said with a slight smile. "I'm sorry I never called you my father, Loki."

"No, it's fine, really, just please don't--" Loki started.

"You need to know one thing before I--" Ken coughed again. "Baldur has been in love with Sigyn for years. That's part of his motivation. If he can't have Mayura, he won't let anyone have her. And Vali--" This time, a little blood came with his cough. "Vali claims to hate you but you two are more alike than you could ever think. He's a good person, really, even if he is a big wimp..." He chuckled.

"Ken! Narfi!" Loki insisted, shaking his son.

Ken grinned slightly as his eyes began to close. "Maybe in my next life, I'll call you 'Dad'. For now, tell Mom I love her and that I'm thankful for all she's done for me...even if her cooking does suck, her apples are amazing." With this, his head fell to the side. The boy before Loki was no more.

"No! No!" Loki shook Ken rapidly, praying for some kind of reaction. Maybe a smile from afar, saying how wonderful it was to finally prank Loki with his new, improved shadow clone. Perhaps a "boo". Even a slight giggle would bring Loki unspeakable joy. But it was not meant to happen. He was gone.

After minutes of crying, Loki stood up with a new intention. "Baldur!" He screamed, looking around for Koutarou.

Instead, he found Mayura being held with a knife to her throat.

"Well, well, Loki, are you finally going to pay attention to me now?"

end twenty-eight


End file.
